The run up to the Chennai Corporation Council election gained momentum on Monday with the Mayoral candidates of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) filing their nominations.
Security was intensified at Ripon Buildings as the incumbent Mayor, M.Subramanian of DMK, and Saidai S.Duraisamy of AIADMK submitted their nominations within a gap of a little over one hour in the forenoon to the District Election Officer and the Corporation Commissioner D.Karthikeyan.
Mr.Duraisamy was accompanied by Information Minister G.Senthamizhan, Member of Parliament N.Balaganga, MLAs V.P.Kalairajan, P.Vetrivel and B.Valarmathi. Mr.Subramanian was accompanied by former Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin, former minister T.M.Anbarasan and MLA J.Anbazhagan.
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Speaking to presspersons, Mr.Stalin said Mr.Subramanian would emerge victorious as the previous DMK government had implemented many welfare schemes. Charging that the State Election Commission has been reduced to a mere puppet of the AIADMK government, he said the issue would be raised at the all party meeting to be convened on Tuesday.
Four others submitted nominations for the post of Mayor, including actor and producer K.Rajan. The Corporation also received 92 applications for the post of councillors on Monday.
In the mandatory affidavit attached to the nomination papers, Mr. Duraisamy declared the value of his movable assets as Rs.27.09 crore, immovable assets Rs.34.62 crore and a liability of Rs.47.80 crore in the form of bank loans and to the government. He owns two cars.
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Mr.Duraisamy has also declared the value of the assets of his wife Mallika Duraisamy as follows: movable property - Rs.1.43 crore, immovable property - Rs.6.99 crore; and a liability of Rs.78,802. She owns 356 sovereigns of jewellery worth Rs.71 lakh, diamond jewellery worth Rs.10 lakh and 20 kg of silver valued at Rs.11 lakh. She also owns three cars.
In the affidavit attached to his nomination papers, Mr.Subramanian declared the value of his movable assets as Rs.4.4 lakh. He has stated that he does not have any immovable property and liability. He owns 120 grams of gold jewellery worth Rs.24 lakh. There are no properties or vehicles in his name.
He has declared the value of assets of his wife. She has movable property worth Rs.8.2 lakh and immovable property worth Rs.14 lakh at Labour Colony, Guindy and owns 325 grams of gold jewellery worth Rs.6.5 lakh.
Mr.Karthikeyan said the Corporation is in the process of mobilising 27,000 workers needed for election duty. Action would be taken against those who fail to perform their duty. Assistant Returning Officers have been asked to provide the list of counting centres and it would be finalised in a few days.