The RK Nagar seat fell vacant in 2016 following the death of then chief minister J Jayalalithaa (File)
The ruling AIADMK today discussed a range of issues, including the December 21 bypoll to RK Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai, with senior functionaries authorising the party's parliamentary board to decide the bypoll candidate.
The meeting, the first after the Election Commission awarded the party's 'two leaves' symbol to this camp, was held at the party headquarters under its presidium chairman E Madhusudanan.
AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam, and co-coordinator and Chief Minister K Palaniswami, besides other senior functionaries attended the meeting.
A release from the party said it was "unanimously" resolved in today's meeting to authorise the AIADMK parliamentary board to select the candidate for the RK Nagar by-poll.
The release was issued with the "approval" of both Mr Pannnerselvam and Mr Palaniswami.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK announced it was "restructuring" the parliamentary board, which now includes Panneerselvam and Palaniswami.
Former ministers K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, Madhusudhanan, Tamil Magan Hussein, P Valarmathi, A Justin Selvaraj and P Venugopal are the other members of the board.
Earlier, deposed and jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was the head of the board. She had selected her nephew and then AIADMK deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran for the April 12 bypoll.
Later, Mr Dhinakaran was sidelined from the party. The RK Nagar seat fell vacant following the death of local MLA and then chief minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016.
Though the bypoll was originally scheduled in April this year, it was rescinded following complaints of money distribution.
The DMK has nominated R Maruthu Ganesh to take on the ruling party. He was also the party nominee for the April 12 bypoll.
Sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran has also thrown his hat into the ring.
The ruling party also discussed the first death anniversary of Ms Jayalalithaa and the various events associated with it, the release said.
The AIADMK has already announced taking out a procession from the arterial Anna Salai to Ms Jayalalithaa's mausoleum in Marina Beach, which was reiterated in today's meeting.
The party workers will also take a pledge on that day. The meeting also discussed the valedictory of the birth centenary of party founder, late M G Ramachandran, and decided to hold grand celebrations.