Tamil Nadu Bypolls: Jayalalithaa to Contest from RK Nagar Constituency

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa will contest the assembly bypolls from the Radhakrishnan Nagar Constituency.

The decision comes a week after the 67-year-old politician took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for a fifth time, following her acquittal in the 19-year-old disproportionate assets case on 11 May.

The AIADMK supremo had earlier represented Srirangam constituency, but she was disqualified following her conviction in the disproportionate assets case last year. 

Party leader P Vetrivel, who represented the RK Nagar constituency in North Chennai, resigned on 17 May, paving way for Jayalalithaa.

According to Zee News, She was elected as the leader of the legislature party in the meeting of AIADMK MLAs on Friday. O Panneerselvam, who was elected as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, resigned following this, and Governor K Rosaiah invited Jayalalithaa to form the government at the earliest.

Voting for the assembly bypoll will begin from 27 June, the Election Commission had declared earlier this week.

Jayalalithaa's Conviction and Acquittal

J Jayalalithaa was convicted in the ₹66 crore disproportionate assets case by a trial court in Bengaluru. The court sentenced her to four years in jail and also slapped a fine of ₹100 crore.

After spending 21 days in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara prison, she was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court, which then acquitted her of all charges on 11 May.