Tamil Nadu: Sasikala's kin TTV Dinakaran to be AIADMK candidate for RK Nagar bypoll

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam​ (AIADMK) on Wednesday announced Sasikala's​ kin and the party's Deputy General Secretary​ TTV Dinakaran as a candidate for the April 12, RK Nagar bypoll, the seat which was represented by late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.​

The bypoll will be the first litmus test for the Edappadi K Palaniswami government in Tamil Nadu.

The by-election will be crucial for the two factions of AIADMK led by General Secretary VK Sasikala, former chief minister O Panneerselvam and Deepa Jayakumar, as it is the first election to be held after the death of Jayalalithaa.

Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa, who has floated 'MGR Amma Deepa Peravai' has also announced that she would contest the April 12 bypoll for the RK Nagar Assembly constituency which was represented by her aunt.

On February 23, TTV Dhinakaran took charge as AIADMK's deputy general secretary. He was appointed as the Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK by party leader VK Sasikala Natarajan on February 15.

Sasikala took the decision following the Supreme Court's verdict wherein she was sentenced to four-year imprisonment in disproportionate asset case.

Dhinakaran, who is the nephew of Sasikala, was expelled from the party in 2011 by the late former chief minister J. Jayalaithaa. However, after Jayalaithaa's demise many relatives of Sasikala including Dhinakaran, regained their positions.