Chennai/UNI: The AIADMK faction led by Interim General Secretary Eadappadi K Palaniswami has announced former MLA K.S.Thennarasu as its candidate for the February 27 bypoll to the Erode East Assembly seat.

In a statement here, Palaniswami, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, said the Governing Council of the party decided to field Erode district MGR Mandram Secretary and former MLA Thennarasu as the party's official candidate for the bypoll.

Almost all contesting parties expect the one AIADMK faction led by ousted leader O.Panneerselvam, who is yet to name its nominee after deciding to contest, and AIADMK's ally, the BJP, which is yet to pronounce its stand on whether to contest or not, have announced the candidates for the crucial bypolls, which both the ruling DMK and the Opposition AIADMK said will have a bearing in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA Thirumahan Everaa, who is the great grandson of Social Reformer Periyar and the son of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister EVKS Elangovan.

The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance has allotted the seat to the Congress since it was held by it and the National Party had announced Elangovan as the candidate from his native place.

Apart from AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran, the DMDK headed by actor-politician Vijayakanth have also decided to enter the fray and had announced their Erode East district secretary Prashanth and the Erode urban district secretary Anand as their candidates respectively.

With the NTK too entering the fray by nominating a woman candidate Menaka Navaneethan as its candidate for the seat, the bypoll will witness a multi-cornered contest.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam of actor-politician Kamal Haasan has decided to unconditionally support Elangovan in the bypoll, while the PMK said it would neither contest nor support any party.

The nominations for the bye-elections opened yesterday with the issuance of the gazette notification.

The last date for filing of nominations is February 7 and the scrutiny will take place the next day.

The last date for withdrawals is February 10 and the polling will be held on February 27.

Counting of votes will take place on March 2.