The DMK on Saturday continued to strengthen its lead in the rural local body elections, winning 243 out of 513 wards in district panchayats and 2,100 out of 5,087 posts in panchayat unions in the 27 districts where the polls were held.
Elections for 515 wards in district panchayats and 5,090 wards in panchayat unions in 27 districts were held in two phases, on December 27 and 30. Elections for president posts in 9,624 panchayats and 76,746 ward member posts in village panchayats were also held in December. As of 9.15 p.m., the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission had announced the results of polls for 9,596 panchayat president posts and 75,364 ward member posts in village panchayats.
The AIADMK won 214 wards in district panchayats and 1,781 wards in panchayat unions. The Congress won 15 wards in district panchayats, while the BJP and the CPI won seven wards each. According to data shared online by the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, many regional parties classified as ‘others’ had won 22 wards in district panchayats and 796 members in panchayat unions.
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In panchayat unions, the Congress won 131 wards, the DMDK - 98, the BJP - 85, the CPI - 62 and the CPI(M) - 33.
The DMK won a significant number of wards in the district panchayats of Madurai, Tiruchi, Ramanathapuram, Perambalur, Pudukottai, The Nilgiris, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Dindigul, Tanjavur, Krishnagiri and Cuddalore.
The AIADMK made significant gains in the wards of district panchayats in Ariyalur, Erode, Karur, Coimbatore, Sivaganga, Salem, Tiruppur, Thoothukudi, Theni, Namakkal and Virudhunagar.
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Panchayat unions in Kanniyakumari district were dominated by recognised national parties such as the BJP and the Congress.
The results of polls for 73,474 ward members in panchayats, and 9,583 of the 9,624 panchayat president posts, have been declared.