CHENNAI: DMK today nominated former minister K N Nehru, now in jail on land grabbing charges, to contest the October 13 by-election to Tiruchirapalli (West) Assembly seat.
Nehru, party's Tiruchirappali district secretary and strongman, will be pitted against former AIADMK MLA M Paranjothi, ending speculation that the DMK might opt out of the race.
In the April 13 assembly elections, Nehru had lost to AIADMK minister Mariam Pitchai, whose death in a road accident on May 23 necessitated the bypoll.
His candidature was announced by DMK chief M Karunanidhi in a statement here.
Nehru is one of the four former ministers who have been arrested as part of the AIADMK government's crackdown on land grabbing. His brother K N Ramajayam has also been arrested.
The PMK and Vaiko-led MDMK have announced that they would not contest the election.