Tension prevailed for a while after the start of the Tirunelveli Corporation Council's meeting here on Thursday when Sudha Paramasivam, AIADMK councillor of ward six, raised objections over the denial of passage for the thanksgiving resolution for the victory of AIADMK in the recently concluded assembly elections.
The AIADMK cadre were prepared to celebrate the thanksgiving resolution but they were disappointed when the nod was not given. Mayor A.L. Subramanian, who presided over the meeting, said such resolutions would be permitted at the next council meeting.
Mr. Paramasivam was engaged in a verbal duel with the Mayor following the refusal. The AIADMK cadres also expressed dissent over the presence of former Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi's portrait at the Council hall. The councillors asked the Mayor to remove Mr. Karunanidhi's portrait immediately.
But the Mayor replied that portraits of the former Chief Minister could stay. Chaos ruled when heated arguments over the removal of his portrait followed.
AIADMK councillors had also raised objections over the involvement of corporation personnel in carrying out the anti-encroachment drive without intimation. Without offering notice, encroachments had been removed, they pointed out. Such anti-people measures were executed with the intention of maligning the AIADMK government, they charged.
K. Muthuramalingam, Deputy Mayor, N. Subbaiyan, Commissioner, and other officials attended.