Jaya's niece Deepa out of RK Nagar bypoll race as EC rejects nomination

Chennai: The Election Commission on Tuesday rejected Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar's nomination for by-election in Chennai's RK Nagar constituency.

The poll panel took the decision after it found several discrepancies in Deepa's form.

Following EC's decision, Deepa said, "There is a column where we talk about inheritance of property and I have mentioned that. It's not mandatory. That's not a reason enough to reject this application. All other information I have provided are perfect".

However, the Election Commission accepted nomination of actor Vishal as an independent candidate after the poll panel rejected it earlier in the day.

Deepa had earlier claimed that she did not consider Dhinakaran as her competitor.

“The fight is only between me, the AIADMK and the DMK”, she told reporters.

AIADMK has fielded its presidum chairman E Madhusudhanan for the RK Nagar bypoll slated on December 21.

Madhusudhanan, a seasoned politician, will take on VK Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran in election at RK Nagar.

DMK retained journalist-turned-politician N Marudhu Ganesh as its candidate for the ensuing by-election.

The opposition party had fielded the same person for the April 12 by-election, which was cancelled following allegations of large-scale bribing of voters.

At the last count on Monday night there were at least 131 people who submitted papers expressing interest to enter the fray in R K Nagar.

Bypoll for the RK Nagar constituency was necessary after the seat fell vacant following the death of former chief minister J Jayalithaa in December last year.