Candidates TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala's nephew and rival E Madhusudanan are confident of victory.
With less than three weeks to go for the by-elections in Chennai's RK Nagar, confusion prevailed as the AIADMK now has two poll symbols -- hat and electric pole. Following a power tussle, the party was split between Sasikala and Panneerselvam factions. Both groups wanted the party's name and two leaves symbol.
But the election commission blocked the AIADMK symbol and decided that the OPS faction will use 'electric pole' and team Sasikala will use the 'hat' as their symbols.
K Padma, flower seller, said, "I used to vote for J Jayalalithaa, but this time I am confused and I've decided not to vote as the party is split."
Schoolteacher M Zareen also said that it is quite confusing. "People in RK Nagar can't decide whom to vote for," the RK Nagar resident said.
"All we need is clean drinking water in our taps. Whichever party wins must ensure that," P Usha, another resident, said.
Candidates of both the factions, AIADMK chief Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran and rebel camp's veteran leader E Madhusudhanan, are confident of victory.
Two-time MP, Mr Dinakaran, believes that the 'hat' is the symbol of party founder MG Ramachandran, who had donned it in several movies. The voters can connect with it, Mr Dinakaran said. He added, "I'd do whatever Amma had dreamed for RK Nagar."
His rival, E Madhusudhanan, from the Panneerselvam camp said, "I'm a local person, I've spent my entire life here. People have trust in me."
Traditionally, RK Nagar has been an AIADMK bastion. Its arch rival DMK has fielded journalist Marudhu Ganesh. DMK is capitalising on the AIADMK split and the confusion over symbol.
Madhavaram Sudarshan, DMK MLA, who is supervising the campaign, said, "They are divided and that would help us win."
A total of 126 candidates are in the fray, most of them are contesting as independents including Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa.