The two Left parties — Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) — have decided to contest the ensuing byelections to the Dharapuram and Madurantakam Assembly constituencies without aligning with any other formations. CPI will contest the Dharapuram seat, while the CPI(M) will contest Madurantakam, said CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian on Sunday (September 13, 2026).

With the Left parties’ decision to contest as a separate front, the upcoming bypolls have become a five-cornered contest. The alliances led by the TVK, the DMK and the AIADMK have already announced their candidates while Seeman-led Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is to face the byelections alone.

Speaking to reporters at Balan Illam, the CPI State headquarters in Chennai, Mr. Veerapandian said the candidates of the Left front would be announced on September 15. “In the prevailing political situation in Tamil Nadu, the CPI had already decided not to be part of any alliance. At the executive committee meeting held on Saturday and Sunday, there was also a strong view that the same stand should continue,” he said.

“Respecting the verdict given by the people, the Left parties extended outside support to the TVK to form the government, to avoid Governor’s rule and, indirectly, the BJP’s rule. We are neither a part of the Cabinet nor a part of the alliance,” he said.

According to him, the upcoming bypolls in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies are not normal byelections, but what he termed as byelections imposed on people.

“It has been decided that the Left parties will face this election from the position we have already taken, that is, the position of not being part of any alliance. The CPI will contest in Dharapuram and the CPI (M) will contest in Madurantakam. We appeal to various democratic forces to extend their support to the Left parties,” he said.

“We believe that students and youngsters are intellectually strong, aware of what is happening around the world and politically conscious. We believe that the Left will have a place among them,” he added.

‘Outside support will continue’

CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam said that though the two Left parties had decided to contest alone in the upcoming bypolls, the CPI(M) would continue to extend outside support to the TVK-led government.

Speaking to journalists after the State executive committee meeting of the CPI(M) that was held in Tiruchi to discuss in detail the stand to be taken for the forthcoming bypolls. Mr. Shanmugam said the Left parties had already decided that they would function independently.

The forthcoming bypolls were neither a general election nor intended for a regime change. Hence, it was decided that the CPI(M) and the CPI would contest in one Assembly seat each, he said.

Asked whether the CPI(M)’s decision to contest would indirectly provide strength to the DMK, Mr. Shanmugam categorically reiterated that his party’s outside support to the ruling TVK-led government would continue.

The political stand taken by the CPI(M) for the bypolls would not endanger the present government. It would be wrong to say that the CPI(M) had taken the stand to support the DMK, he said, adding that his party would field its candidate against the three fronts.

‘Wrong decision’

The candidates selected by the TVK to contest in the two Assembly constituencies had won as AIADMK candidates in the 2026 Assembly election. Within days of their victory, the two MLAs resigned from the AIADMK and joined the TVK. However, they could not cite any fair reason for this move. The CPI(M) had made it clear then that it was a wrong decision, as it went against the people’s sentiments, Mr. Shanmugam said.

Asked whether the support to the TVK government on the one hand and contesting alone in the byelections on the other would confuse the people, he said the Left parties would clarify their political stand during the course of the campaign for the byelections.

The byelections to Madurantakam and Dharapuram are scheduled to be held on October 6.