Jayalalithaa's RK Nagar constituency to have bypolls on 12 April, announces EC

Bypolls will be held on 12 April for former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s constituency Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar in Chennai, announced the Election Commission. Candidates have to file their nominations by 23 March and the counting will take place on 17 April. The seat has been vacant since the AIADMK leader’s death on 5 December last year. [caption id=“attachment_3151788” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Deepa Jayakumar. Firstpost[/caption] According to The Indian Express, Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar might contest the bypolls. The announcement was made while she was launching her own political platform called MGR Amma Deepa Peravai. The  Deccan Chronicle report said that the poll managers have been asked to be prepared for the bypolls, the official added that election is likely to be held in May. Earlier, the poll managers were asked to be prepared for the bypolls, which is a prestigious seat for the AIADMK. In the last one week, Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palanisami has inaugurated many schemes targeting voters of RK Nagar which has more than 23,000 voters as fishermen, according to party workers. The report said that district secretary and party strongman P Vettrivel and finance minister D Jayakumar are also taking turns to keep the voters and the workers happy by conducting regular events and meetings. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court on Wednesday had dismissed an election petition filed against Jayalalithaa in view of her demise. The petitioner G Pravina had contested the 16 May Assembly election from RK Nagar as an Independent candidate but lost it. In his petition, Pravina had asked that Jayalalithaa’s election be declared “null and void” alleging that she was not allowed to campaign in the constituency.