Dhinakaran to contest R K Nagar bypoll

Chennai: The TTV Dhinakaran camp today officially announced that the ousted AIADMK leader will contest the December 21 Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) bypoll.

"TTV Dhinakaran will contest the forthcoming (RK Nagar) bypoll," senior leader in the camp, S Anbazhagan told reporters here.

Dhinakaran was contesting the bye election with the "approval" of his aunt, the deposed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, he added.

Dhinakaran earlier contested the April 12 bypoll to the constituency, as then AIADMK (Amma) candidate.

However, the polls were rescinded by the Election Commission following complaints of money distribution.

Later, a section of Ministers led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami revolted against the former AIADMK deputy general secretary, and announced sidelining Dhinakaran.

Following the merger of the two factions led by Palaniswami and his now deputy O Panneerselvam in August, a September 12 general council of the party also ousted him as the AIADMK deputy general secretary, as it sacked Sasikala as the party chief.

Last week, the Election Commission allotted the 'two leaves' symbol to the unified AIADMK led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, dealing a blow to the Sasikala faction.

The order came as a setback to Sasikala, who is currently serving a four-year sentence in a Bengaluru jail in a disproportionate assets case, and Dhinakaran.

The Opposition DMK has fielded M Maruthuganesh.

The RK Nagar seat fell vacant last December following the death of local MLA and then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.