The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday announced that former Minister K.N. Nehru would be its candidate in the October 13 by-poll to the Tiruchi (West) Assembly constituency.
Mr Nehru, Tiruchi district secretary of the party, has been arrested in connection with a land grab case.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Minister N. Mariyam Pichai in a road accident on May 23.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi said on Sunday that the party was yet to decide whether to field a candidate in the by-election, noting that it had been caused by the death of a minister belonging to a minority community in a tragic accident.
However, the party called for applications from aspirants late in the night on Sunday and named its candidate on Monday.
On the inaugural day for filing of nominations, two persons submitted their persons.
The AIADMK chose former MLA M. Paranjothi as its nominee.
In the last Assembly elections, the AIADMK candidate Mariyam Pichai defeated Mr Nehru by a margin of 7,179 votes in the Tiruchi West constituency. Pichai polled 77,492 votes against 70,313 votes polled by Mr. Nehru.
