"AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan has expressed interest to contest and gave a letter of intent at the headquarters yesterday. Though he is the preferred choice of deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, some seniors in the party are against it," sources said.



Making things difficult for Madhusudhanan, at least four heavy weights- AIADMK's former north Chennai district secretary and former MP N Balaganga, former south Chennai secretary Adhirajaram, former minister Gokula Indra and senior leader A Thamizh Magan Hussein- have expressed interest to contest the by-poll.

"In all ways, from being the party's presidium chairman to a local resident of RK Nagar, Madhusudhanan enjoys merit. But still, there are few hurdles in nominating him and trouble-shooters are finding a way out," sources said.

The opposition DMK, which is the arch rival of the AIADMK, has already named Marudhu Ganesh as its candidate, it may be recalled.