RK Nagar bypoll: In Amma backyard, it is AIADMK's Madhusudhanan vs rebel TTV Dhinakaran

The ruling AIADMK has announced Madhusudhanan as its candidate for the RK Nagar bypoll. E Madhusudhanan, a seasoned politician, will take on Sasikala Natarajan's nephew TTV Dhinakaran in the bypoll.

Madhusudhanan, who is the presidium chairman of the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and a Panneerselvam loyalist, edged past 13 other AIADMK members who had submitted applications, seeking party ticket for the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly constituency.

The governing council of AIADMK, which is led by Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Panneerselvam, was tasked with choosing the candidate for the high-stakes RK Nagar bypoll.

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa was elected from the RK Nagar constituency in the 2015 Assembly election. Her death in December last year made a bypoll in RK Nagar necessary. 

Announcement of Madhusudhanan's candidature comes a day after the rebel faction of the AIADMK named TTV Dhinakaran as its candidate for the RK Nagar bypoll. 

Before the earlier April schedule for the RK Nagar bypoll was scrapped following allegations of bribery, Madhusudhanan was the candidate for the Panneerselvam-led AIADMK faction.

Madhusudhanan's first win in an Assembly election came from the RK Nagar seat in 1991, defeating V Rajasekaran of the Janata Party by a margin of 25,000 votes.

The RK Nagar bypoll is being dubbed as a fight over Amma's legacy. It is also the first big election test for the ruling AIADMK government since the two warring factions, led by chief minister E Palaniswami and Panneerselvam respectively, joined hands.

The bypoll will also be a test of strength for Sasikala's nephew Dhinakaran, who has claimed to have support of several AIADMK workers. The bypoll in RK Nagar is scheduled for December 21.

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