Left parties to contest TN bypolls separately despite support for TVK government

CHENNAI: Despite maintaining their support for the TVK-led state government, the Left parties (CPI and CPM) have decided to contest the upcoming by-elections separately instead of extending support to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

CPI State secretary M Veerapandian said the decision was taken after consultations with party workers and discussions between the two Left parties. The CPI will field its candidate in Dharapuram, while the CPM will contest from Madurantakam.

“After the 2026 Assembly elections, we have not been part of any alliance. After discussing with our party workers and with the Left parties, we have decided to contest alone. While CPI will contest from Dharapuram constituency, CPM will contest from Madurantakam constituency,” Veerapandian told reporters in Chennai.

The decision comes despite the Left parties continuing to extend their support to the TVK-led government, indicating that their electoral arrangement for the bypolls may remain separate from their political support to the ruling dispensation.

Stating that the Left parties’ decision to support the TVK government was only to avert fascist forces, Veerapandian asked TVK to maintain its secularism ideology in the state.