DPC chairman post goes to AIADMK

Intra-party feud in DMK comes to fore in Thoothukudi district

The AIADMK wrested the district panchayat council chairperson post in the elections held on Saturday.

Indirect elections were held for the post of chairperson and vice-chairperson of district panchayat council, and chairmen of panchayat unions in the district.

According to officials, R. Sathya of the AIADMK was elected as chairman of the DPC. Of 12 panchayat unions in the district, the AIADMK bagged 6, the DMK 4 and the AMMK one.

Election to the Kovilpatti panchayat union chairman could not be held as the official Jayachandran was stated to be ‘sick.’

The DMK bagged PU chairmen posts in Thoothukudi, Udangudi, Alwarthirunagari and Oddapidaram.

The AIADMK won in Tiruchendur, Srivaikuntam, Satankulam, Karungulam, Vilathikulam and Pudur. The AMMK won in Kayathar PU.

The intra party feud in the DMK in the district was exposed in the indirect elections held in Oddapidaram panchayat union chairman post. According to officials, two factions - one belonging to Geetha Jeevan and another in support of Anitha Radhakrishnan - were in the fray. As they bagged equal number of seats, the PU chairman has to be elected by vote. Out of 22 ward members, the DMK polled 12, AIADMK 5, Independents 2, CPI (M) 2 and Congress 1. The DMK ward member Kasi Viswanathan, owing allegiance to Ms. Geetha Jeevan, and Ramesh, a supporter of Mr. Anitha Radhakrishnan, polled 11 votes each. As the verdict ended in a tie, the polling officer Sugumar picked up the names of two contenders - Kasi Viswanathan and Ramesh - and dropped it in a box. A retired official, on request, picked up the name of Ramesh from the box and thus he was declared winner.

Meanwhile, senior DMK leader and Thoothkudi MP Kanimozhi, who was here to participate in a Pongal festival celebration held at a college, visited Kovilpatti after the cadre complained of the election being deferred. She told reporters that wherever the DMK had victory chances, the State government had put them on hold through the official machinery. It was undemocratic and demanded justice.