BJP nominates Karu Nagarajan to contest for RK Nagar bypoll

CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday declared Karu Nagarajan as its official nominee to contest the RK Nagar polls scheduled for December 21.

On Thursday, the ruling AIADMK announced E Madhusudhanan as its nominee to contest the RK Nagar polls.

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.

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.

Last week, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president MK Stalin had announced Marudhu Ganesh as the candidate for RK Nagar by-elections.

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.