December 21, 2017: By-polls to five Assembly constituencies in 4 states, including RK Nagar in Chennai, began this morning, the RK Nagar by-poll has been necessitated following the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa last December.
The ruling AIADMK has fielded a senior leader, E Madhusudanan, who held the seat before. The rival faction of the party has fielded jailed leader VK Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran. DMK’s Marudhu Ganesh and BJP’s Karu Nagarajan are also in the fray.
A day ahead of the by-poll, a loyalist of Dhinakaran yesterday released a video clip purportedly showing Ms Jayalalithaa’s treatment in a hospital. The Election Commission barred the telecast of the video saying that it violated the model code of conduct.
Besides RK Nagar, by-polls are being held in Pakke Kasang and Likabali Assembly constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikandra in Uttar Pradesh and Sabang in West Bengal. (AIR NEWS)