In the southern districts, indirect elections were held in Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi districts, while it was deferred, for the second time, in Sivaganga, Madurai and Theni districts.
In Thoothukudi district, an AIADMK candidate became the chairperson of the Kovilpatti panchayat union. Accusing officials of manipulating the indirect elections, DMK functionaries, led by Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, staged a road roko.
Ms. Kanimozhi claimed that the DMK was enjoying the support of 10 of the 19 councillors, while the AIADMK had the backing of only 9. When the Returning Officer was firm in his decision that he had conducted the election in a “fair manner” and that his declaration was final, the DMK MP, along with the party cadre and the councillor, blocked vehicular traffic for more than three hours on the Kovilpatti–Pasuvanthanai Road.
In Virudhunagar district, the DMK won the post of the panchayat chairperson in two unions of Sattur and Rajapalayam. The ruling AIADMK won the post of the panchayat chairperson in Watrap union near Srivilliputtur. An independent councillor, who was backed by the AIADMK, won the post of chairperson of the Narikudi panchayat union, through a draw of lots. On January 11, indirect elections in these four panchayat unions were stopped due to violence and other law and order issues.
Indirect elections for the posts of chairman and vice-chairman for the district panchayat council of Sivaganga district were deferred for the second time, as only eight of the 16 candidates were present. The remaining eight from the ruling AIADMK kept away from the elections.
In Theni district, indirect elections for the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson, for threepanchayat unions, were also deferred for the second time, as the required number of candidates did not turn up.
In Madurai district too, election to the post of Vadipatti union chairperson and vice-chairperson was deferred, as none of the panchayat union ward members turned up for voting.
