The DMK has reversed the trend of the ruling party emerging the victor in the civic polls, party president M.K. Stalin has said.
Unveiling a statue of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at Saidapet, he said, “We have scored a huge victory in the rural local body elections this time. Usually, it is the ruling party that wins in most places during such elections. When MGR was the Chief Minister, the AIADMK won in a majority of the areas where rural local body polls were held. The DMK succeeded in the polls to municipalities, town panchayats and corporations in several places. But even that has changed, and we have emerged victorious in the rural local body polls too [this time].”
Mr. Stalin said it was unfair for the media to project the situation as though the DMK and the AIADMK had got an equal number of seats. In panchayat unions, the DMK had won 2,100 seats, while the AIADMK had got only 1,781 seats, he noted.
“How is this equal? And again, as far as district councillors were concerned, the DMK’s alliance got 243 seats, and the AIADMK, 214,” he added.
The DMK leader inaugurated a computer training and skill development centre at Saidapet.
He said a similar facility was functioning in his Kolathur constituency. Several students had benefitted from the course and were in jobs, he said.“The youth and graduates are currently suffering without jobs. We think this effort will help them secure employment,” he added.