RK Nagar: AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan take on TTV Dhinakaran

CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK on Thursday nominated E Madhusudhanan as its official nominee to contest the RK Nagar polls scheduled for December 21.

His name was finalised from a list of aspirants, who had applied expressing their willingness to contest the by-poll, a party release here said adding that he was the unanimous choice of the party.

#AIADMK candidate for #RKNagarByPoll Thiru E. Madhusudhanan pic.twitter.com/uk0IEqrD0g

— O Panneerselvam (@OfficeOfOPS) November 30, 2017

Madhusudhanan is the presidium chairman of AIADMK and a Panneerselvam loyalist. According to a report, as many as 19 other AIADMK members had also submitted an application seeking nomination to contest the RK Nagar Assembly constituency. 

His candidature came on the day after the rebel faction of the AIADMK named TTV Dinakaran as its candidate for the RK Nagar bypoll. 

DMK's M Maruthu Ganesh and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran are also in the fray. 

Madhusudhanan was then the candidate of the Panneerselvam-led rival AIADMK faction, while Dhinakaran was contesting on the then AIADMK (Amma) camp. 

The factions led by Panneerselvam and Palaniswami later merged in August even as the Election Commission awarded the 'Two Leaves' symbol to the unified AIADMK. 

In 2015, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was elected from the RK Nagar constituency. After her death in December last year, the constituency was left void.

Although the by-poll was scheduled for April 12, it was countermanded following reports of attempted voter bribing by a candidate.

The Madras High Court had directed to hold the by-poll before December 31.

The DMK has said it will be renominating its candidate Marudhu Ganesh and immediately got support from the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruttai Katchi (VCK) and All India Forward Bloc.