Candidates file nominations for R.K. Nagar by-poll

On a day of hectic political developments in the ruling AIADMK party in Tamil Nadu, top political and popular candidates on Thursday filed their nominations for the April 12 by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency.

The ruling AIADMK's Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran wearing a cap -- his election symbol -- filed his nomination for the seat that was held by late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Similarly, veteran politician E. Madhusudanan filed his nomination from the AIADMK's breakaway faction.

The ruling AIADMK split into two factions. The ruling faction is led by the now jailed General Secretary V.K. Sasikala, while the other one is headed by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

After freezing on Wednesday the AIADMK's "two leaves" symbol and the use of party name by the two warring factions for the by-poll, the Election Commission on Thursday allotted the "Cap" symbol and the name AIADMK Amma to the ruling AIADMK group, and the symbol "Electric Pole" and the name AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma to the Panneerselvam faction.

Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar, heading her own MGR Amma Deepa Forum, also filed her papers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, music composer and lyricist Gangai Amaran, also filed his nomination.

The other parties in the fray are the DMK, DMDK and the CPI(M).

--IANS

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