The Hindu : Front Page : Corporation council to meet on November 21

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 15, 2005

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Corporation council to meet on November 21

Staff Reporter

Opposition councillors to target State Government's handling of flood situation

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation council will meet on November 21, according to an order issued by Commissioner M.P.Vijayakumar on Tuesday.

Over the last week it was a matter of speculation who would convene the meeting in the continued absence of the Deputy Mayor R.Thiagarajan. Mr.Vijayakumar issued press advertisements and sent letters to councillors, giving them six days' notice as warranted by the Madras City Municipal Corporation Act.

Thiagarajan issue

Opposition and ruling party councillors said they would discuss the State Government's handling of flood relief.

Opposition councillors are gearing to target the continued absence of Mr.Thiagarajan from office.

Council meetings, chaired by Mr.Thiagarajan over the last three years, witnessed political sparring sessions on several occasions, with the Opposition councillors being evicted en masse.

Opposition councillors held Mr.Thiagarajan solely responsible for the fracas and even submitted complaints to the Governor over his `undemocratic' behaviour.

With the possibility of Mr.Thiagarajan not chairing the meeting, the council would have to elect another person for the position.

With the AIADMK holding a majority in the house, it is likely that a councillor from that party would chair the meeting.

The big question is whether the council would dwell on civic issues.

DMK councillors say they would highlight public issues but only to the extent the AIADMK allowed them.

M.Subramanian, DMK councillor and Saidapet zone chairman, said the Government's handling of flood situation left a lot to be desired.

P.V.Kalyanasundaram of DMK pointed out that the Opposition councillors were always at the receiving end of rough decisions and were prevented from bringing up civic issues.

Devi of CPM said the meeting should focus on the way the government handled the flood situation.

Krishna Reddy of AIADMK (ward 30) welcomed the decision to call the meeting.

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