Delay in getting relieving order from the Department of Health has resulted in the replacement of Sripriya Thenmozhi, an obstetrician and gynaecologist attached to government hospital, Melur, with C. Bhavani as Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate for the Sholavandan constituency in Madurai district.
It was only on Thursday night, party treasurer M.K. Stalin campaigned for Dr. Sripriya in Sholavandan. Hence, the announcement of replacement on Sunday was a surprise for local partymen.
However, P. Moorthy, secretary of Madurai rural district unit, said that the replacement was made on Dr. Sripriya’s request as she not able to get her relieving order from government service.
‘No other reason’
“There is no other reason for replacing a qualified person from a family which enjoys long association with the party,” he said.
Dr. Sripriya, a resident of Anuppanadi in Madurai, is a familiar figure in the constituency, as she has been running a clinic in Palamedu for about a decade. “Though I sent my resignation in time to the government, officials have been getting back to me with queries, which may delay the relieving order. Since I was told that it will not be possible to get the order before the May 16 election, I did not want to embarrass the party by getting my nomination rejected at the time of scrutiny,” she said.
Dr. Sripriya has not joined the party formally though her father K. Samipillai is a local functionary.
Stalin had campaigned for Sripriya, who has not even joined the party
