AIADMK nominee, A Navaneethakrishnan elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

CHENNAI: Ruling AIADMK's A Navaneethakrishnan was today declared elected in the bypoll to Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu.

"A Navaneethakrishnan of AIADMK has been duly elected to fill the vacancy in the council of states," AMP Jamaludeen, Returning Officer and Secretary, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, said in a release here.

AIADMK nominee getting elected was expected as no other political party had fielded candidates. The papers of four independents - K Padmarajan, M Manmadan, T N Velmurugan Chozhaganar and P N Sri Ramachandran - were rejected.

The bypoll was necessitated after a sitting DMK MP T M Selvaganapathy was disqualified following his conviction in a corruption case. The by-election was originally scheduled for July three. However, the result was declared today as there were no other contenders.

Navaneethakrishnan, former state Advocate General, had also served as Chairman of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. With his election the strength of AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha has gone up to 11. In the Lok Sabha the party has 37 MPs.