TENKASI
Like neighbouring Tirunelveli, the DMK-led combine has wrested the district panchayat council and all 10 panchayat unions in Tenkasi district with resounding majority.
All 14 seats in the district panchayat council have been won by the DMK-led alliance. While the DMK has bagged 10 seats, the Congress, DMK’s major ally, has got 3 seats while the remaining one seat has gone in favour of MDMK, another ally of the DMK.
In the 10 panchayat union councils of the district, the DMK and its allies have won 120 of the 144 seats – DMK - 95, Congress – 12 and MDMK – 13 while AIADMK had to satisfy with 13 seats.
The voters have not given to AIADMK even one councilor in the Alangulam, Melaneeilithanallur, Shencottai, Tenkasi and Kuruvikulam panchayat union councils. The then ruling party, which had given ministerial berth to Sankarankovil MLA V.M. Rajalakshmi till 2021, has got just one member in the Sanakarankovil panchayat union council, having 17 members.
Similarly, the AIADMK has got just one member in the 12-member Kadayanallur panchayat union council though this Assembly segment is being represented by AIADMK’s Krishna Murali alias Kuttiyappa, son of late Minister Chendurpandian.
Voters of Alangulam, who reposed their faith in AIADMK’s Paul Manoj Pandian in the Assembly polls held only in last April, have gifted all 23 panchayat council wards to the DMK (16), Congress (3) and the Independents (4).
The MDMK, an electoral ally of the DMK, has bagged 8 of the 17 wards in the Kuruvikulam panchayat union that houses party general secretary Vaiko’s native place, Kalingapatti.
Hence, the MDMK is likely to head the Kuruvikulam panchayat union council for which the DMK, having 6 councillors, is likely to agree.
The DMK is likely to name party office-bearer Socrates, who has been elected from ward 9 of the district panchayat council as its chairman, party sources say.
