AIADMK (OPS faction) campaigns with replica of Jayalalithaa’s mortal remains in RK Nagar

Elections for the RK Nagar constituency was necessitated due to the passing away of Jayalalithaa. (Source: ANI)

The AIADMK faction led by O Pannerrselvam was on Thursday seen campaigning for the upcoming Radhakrishnan Nagar bypoll with a replica of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s mortal remains. In the picture tweeted by news agency ANI, residents of the constituency can be seen paying homage to the departed leader.

Elections for the RK Nagar constituency was necessitated due to the passing away of Jayalalithaa. She had previously won the seat by a majority of 1.5 lakh votes in 2015, after being acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in a disproportionate assets case.

Nearly a month after she died of cardiac arrest, the party split into two factions — one backed by Sasikala and other OPS. The two sides are pulling out all stops to win the prestigious seat. Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar will also be contesting the bypoll, representing her newly formed party, MGR Amma Deepa Peravai. Others in the fray include Deputy general secretary and Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran and the OPS faction candidate E Madhusudanan.