Actor Vishal sits on 'dharna' against cancellation of his nomination for RK Nagar by-polls

President of Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council, actor Vishal, on Tuesday sat on a 'dharna' against cancellation of his nomination as an independent candidate in RK Nagar by-election.

Vishal and his supporters blocked the road outside the returning officer's office in Chennai for rejecting his nomination papers.

The actor had filed his nomination on Monday as an independent candidate for the by-polls to be held on December 21.

The seat fell vacant following the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in December 2016, who represented it for two terms.

The election was earlier scheduled on April 12 but was cancelled following a vote-for-cash scam.

This time two groups of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) - TTV Dinakaran from the Sasikala faction and E Madhusudhanan from the EPS-OPS faction (led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam) -- are in the fray for the seat.