The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) staged an impressive performance in the central districts by winning the Tiruchi Corporation and 12 municipalities, besides a majority of town panchayats, district panchayat and panchayat union wards and village panchayats.
The AIADMK won the Mayor's seat along with a two-thirds majority in the 65-member Tiruchi Corporation council for the first time since the civic body was upgraded into a Corporation in 1994.
The AIADMK's A.Jaya defeated DMK nominee Vijaya Jayaraj by a margin of 52,415 votes to emerge victorious in the Mayor's election. Ms. Jaya secured 1,61,458 votes against
Ms.Vijaya Jayaraj's 1,09,043. The AIADMK also won 42 wards, followed by DMK 16, MDMK 3, Congress and DMDK one each and independents 2.
The AIADMK made a clean sweep of all the seven municipalities in Thanjavur (three municipalities of Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Pattukottai) and Tiruvarur (four municipalities of Tiruvarur, Mannargudi, Tiruthuraipoondi and Koothanallur). The party also won two municipalities in Nagapattinam district – Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, and one each in Karur district (Karur), Perambalur district (Perambalur) and Pudukottai district (Pudukottai).
However, AIADMK suffered a big jolt when it lost all the three Municipalities in Tiruchi district and both the municipalities in Ariyalur district to its arch rival DMK.
The DMK won eight municipalities – all the three in Tiruchi district (Manapparai, Thuraiyur and Thuvakudi); two each in Nagapattinam (Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi) and Ariyalur (Ariyalur and Jayankondam) and one in Pudukottai district (Aranthangi).
The MDMK got a shot in its arm by winning the Kulithalai municipal Chairman's post.
The DMDK-Left parties combine did not live up to the expectations in the central region.
This combine won only a sole ward in the 65 member Tiruchi Corporation council. The CPI (M) and the CPI which contested in 11 and seven wards respectively drew a blank.
Much worse is the position of the Congress. It emerged victorious in a solitary ward in Tiruchi Corporation. Even in the municipalities, the maximum number of Congress candidates to come out victorious was in Karur municipality, where it won four wards.
Of the 78 town panchayats at stake in the central region, AIADMK won 45, DMK 23, Congress 4, MDMK 1, and independent 5.
In Tiruvarur district, the AIADMK won all the seven town panchayats.
