The DMK’s Pondosh was elected District Panchayat Chairman in the Nilgiris on Friday.
With the DMK candidates winning four of the six district panchayat union wards in the local body elections, Mr. Pondosh, a member of the Toda community from Kodanad, was elected Chairman. The DMK’s Rajan was elected Vice-Chairman.
Of the four panchayat unions of Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur, the DMK won three. The AIADMK candidate, Madhan, prevailed in Udhagamandalam panchayat union after a tie in voting led to the winner being decided by draw of lots.
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The DMK had been expected to win the post of the panchayat union president in Udhagamandalam after its candidates won in 11 of the 22 wards in Udhagamandalam. An independent candidate also joined the DMK, bringing the total to 12 winning ward members. The AIADMK and BJP candidates had won in eight wards. The two other winners were independent candidates.
On Friday, a DMK ward councillor, Prema, who won on a DMK ticket, suddenly switched allegiance to the AIADMK and voted in favour of the AIADMK’s candidate for Udhagamandalam Panchayat Union President and Vice-President. As the votes led to a tie between the candidates, a draw of lots was held, and the AIADMK candidate won the race for the post of the Panchayat Union President.
The DMK’s Sunitha and Nageshwari were elected President and Vice-President respectively of the Coonoor Panchayat Union, while in Gudalur, where the DMK and their allies had won in 12 of the 15 wards, the DMK’s Keerthana, was elected President.
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In Kotagiri Panchayat Union, where the DMK and its allies won in eight of the 14 wards, the DMK’s Ramkumar was elected President while Krishnan of the Congress was elected Vice-President.