The DMK made a clean sweep in the indirect election to rural local bodies in Tiruchi district on Saturday.
Besides winning the chairman’s post of the District Panchayat Council, the party also bagged the chairperson post in all 14 panchayat unions.
With a comfortable majority of 18 wards councillors in the 24-member council, DMK candidate D. Rajendiran was declared elected unopposed as chairman.
The AIADMK bagged five wards and the Congress one. K.S.M. Karunanidhi was elected unopposed as vice-chairman.
The DMK cornered a lion’s share of seats in the panchayat unions, winning 146 out of 241 seats, helping it to win the chairperson posts in all 14 panchayat unions. Such was the dominance of the party that 10 of the panchayat union chairpersons were elected unopposed. There were contests only in Lalgudi, Tiruverumbur, Thuraiyur and Vaiyampatti. But even here, the DMK candidates won without much ado. Nine of the elected chairpersons were women.
The following were elected chairpersons of panchayat unions in the district: S. Durairaj – Andhanallur; T. Ravichandran – Lalgudi; R.Sridhar – Manachanallur; R.Amirthavalli – Manapparai; K.Kamalam – Manikandam; M.Palaniyandi – Marungapuri (SC-Gen); R.Mala – Musiri; R.Rashiya – Pullampadi; P.Sharmila – Thathaiyengarpet; G.Sathiya – Tiruverumbur; K.Punitharani – Thottiyam (SC-W); M.Saranya – Thuraiyur (SC-W); M.Hemalatha – Uppilliyapuram and N.Gunasheelan –Vaiyampatti.
The indirect election to the post of vice-chairperson of Manapparai Panchayat Union held in the afternoon was postponed by the Returning Officer “due to the extraordinary situation” that prevailed when the process began.
Nagapattinam
The DMK also won the chairperson post of the District Panchayat and eight of the 11 panchayat unions in Nagapattinam district.
Although the DMK had a clear majority in the 21-member District Panchayat Council with 14 councillors, there was contest in the indirect election held on Saturday as there were two contestants from the party for the post of chairperson (General-Women).
S. Uma Maheswari was declared elected with 13 councillors voting in her favour and seven supporting T.Vennila. One DMK councillor was absent. Later in the evening, R. Ajitha, also from the DMK, was elected as vice-chairperson.
The DMK also won the chairperson post in Nagapattinam, Keelaiyur, Kilvelur, Thalaignayiru, Mayiladuthurai, Sembanarkoil, Sirkazhi and Kollidam panchayat unions. The AIADMK candidates won the chairperson post in Thirumarugal, Vedaranyam and Kuthalam panchayat unions.
Perambalur
The DMK also garnered the district chairman’s post of Perambalur District Panchayat with C. Rajendran being elected unopposed. The DMK had a clear majority with seven councillors in the eight-member council. The AIADMK’s lone councillor, Muthamizhselvi, was elected vice-chairperson.
The party also won all the chairperson post in all four panchayat unions in the district.
