The by-election for the Ijok Selangor state assembly will be a straight fight between the Barisan Nasional and the Parti Keadilan Rakyat(PKR). 

Barisan Nasional candidate K. Parthiban submitted his nomination in the Ijok state by-election at the nomination centre at the Batang Berjuntai community hall at about 9.2Oam today.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim filed his papers at 9.36am.

The seat fell vacant following the death of BN's Datuk K. Sivalingam, in Chennai, India, during a visit there on April 4. During the general election in 2004 Sivalingam defeated another PKR candidate Abdol Raman Moharam by a 1,649 vote majority. 

Parthiban, 38, was escorted to the centre by 3,000 supporters including Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo, Penang Chief Minister and acting Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was present at the nomination centre to lend his support for the BN candidate.

The Ijok seat fell vacant following the death of BN assemblyman Datuk K. Sivalingam in Chennai, India, of heart failure on April 4.

Returning Officer Haris Kasim officially announced the straight fight at the end of the protest period at 11.10am. Polling has been set for April 28 in the event of a contest.