AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha announced that the party would field former advocate general A Navaneethakrishnan as its candidate for July 3 Rajya Sabha election.

Jayalalitha, in a statement, said Navaneethakrishnan will be party’s official candidate.

The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant following the disqualification of DMK member T M Selvaganapathi.

At present, Navaneethakrishnan holds the post of Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.

In April Selvaganapathi was sentenced to two years’rigorous imprisonment after being convicted in a cheating case by a CBI court here.