The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced on Monday, August 5, 2024 that Councillor R. Ranganayaki of Ward 29 has been selected as its Mayoral candidate for the Coimbatore Corporation.
“The candidate has been chosen and the final announcement will be made post indirect election,” Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru said during a visit to the city’s ongoing ‘Semmozhi Poonga’ project. Ms. Ranganayaki thanked her party for the selection.
On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, an indirect election is set to take place at Victoria Town Hall in Coimbatore. Ms. Ranganayaki is expected to submit her nomination to the Corporation Commissioner at 10:30 a.m. on the same day.
“All arrangements have been made for councillors to cast their votes. The entire process will be monitored and recorded, and the result will be announced by the evening,” Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabhakaran said.
The position of Mayor became vacant following the recent resignation of Kalpana Anandakumar, the Ward 19 councillor, who stepped down due to health issues.
According to several DMK councillors, there has been significant competition among women councillors vying for the Mayoral post, with many seeking support from the party’s top executives. “There was a contest among councillors D. Ambika (Ward 27), R. Ranganayaki (Ward 29), N. Malathi (Ward 34), L. Meenalogu (Ward 46), and M. Santhi (Ward 63) for the post,” claimed a senior councillor.
At a consultation meeting led by Mr. Nehru, Ms. Ranganayaki, a first-time councillor, was finally chosen as the Mayoral candidate.
