The Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK) would not contest the upcoming Erode (East) bye-election scheduled to be held on February 27, citing that the election is a “waste of people’s tax money and time”. The party has also decided not to even support any other political party in this election.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, in a statement, said that the party does not support the elections if it is necessitated following the death of an MLA or if an MLA joins another party. The statement came after PMK had a high-level meeting headed by party founder and leader Ramadoss where he and senior leaders of the party participated.
“PMK has a stand that a bye-election is not needed if an MLA dies or any MLA joins another party and makes the seat vacant since it’s a waste of people’s tax money and time,” the statement said. The party also opined that instead of conducting another election which causes a “waste of people’s tax money and time”, an MLA can be announced by the same political party from which the MLA won before.