John Kumar is Congress candidate for by-poll to Kamaraj nagar

The Congress on Saturday announced former MLA A John Kumar as the party's candidate for the October 21 by-poll to the Kamaraj Nagar Assembly segment.

John Kumar was elected to the territorial Assembly in the elections held in 2016 from Nellithope constituency here.

However, he quit the post of MLA on September 15 that year paving the way for the senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy to seek election from Nellithope in the by-election held in November.

Narayanasamy first became the Chief Minister without being a member of the House but was later elected from Nellithope in the by election.

John Kumarwas appointed as Special representative of Puducherry in New Delhi after he stepped down from the MLA post.

He resigned from the post of special representative last week to contest the by election.

John Kumar is a confidante of the Chief Minister.

The opposition AINRC has already finalised former legislator G Nehru as its nominee for the by election.

The process of by-poll began on September 23 and so far only three candidates including a woman contestant have filed the papers.

The last date to file nomination is September 30.

The by-election has become necessary in Kamaraj Nagar following the resignation by the incumbent legislator V Vaithilingam in June this year as he was elected to Lok Sabha in the polls held in April this year.