Jaya, 49 others in fray for key bypoll

The filing of nomination for the byelection to R K Nagar assembly constituency, being contested by AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa after her acquittal in the wealth case, came to an end today with a total of 50 contestants throwing their hat in the ring.
Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be taken up tomorrow. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 13. Polling is scheduled on June 27 and counting of votes will be taken up on June 30.
The election is expected to be a cakewalk for the 67 year-old Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who seeks to represent a city seat for first the time in her political career.

The Election Commission said that a total of 50 candidates, including Jayalalithaa, have filed nominations, which started on June 3.
All major opposition parties - DMK, BJP, Congress, MDMK and PMK have announced boycott of the election largely alleging that the ruling party would use money power.
They had also reasoned that there was no need to contest the bypoll as the assembly elections are due early next year.

CPI with the support of CPI(M) is the only recognised party that is likely to give some fight to Jayalalithaa, who has to fulfill the constitutional requirement of getting elected to the assembly within six months of taking over as Chief Minister.

Bypoll to the constituency in north Chennai was necessitated due to the resignation of AIADMK's P Vetrivel as MLA on May 17, paving the way for his party chief to seek election.
With the Karnataka High Court acquitting the AIADMK supremo in the disproportionate assets case that threatened to derail her political career, Jayalalithaa returned as Chief Minister on May 23.
She was earlier disqualified as MLA of Srirangam on being convicted in the assets case by a Bengaluru trial court in September last year.
Jayalalithaa was subsequently acquitted of all charges by the High Court on May 11, allowing her return as Chief Minister for the fifth time.

CPI's senior state leader C Mahendran and well-known activist K R Ramaswamy, popularly known as 'Traffic' Ramaswamy are the other candidates who have filed nominations.
Meanwhile, the EC announced the appointment of Manjeet Singh IRS, Joint Director of Income Tax (Investigation), Hubbali, as Expenditure Observer and Dr Raju Narayana Swamy, IAS as General Observer for the bypoll.