Chennai: The DMK cadres and district level functionaries in some districts of Tamil Nadu have played spoilsport to the ambitions of the party’s allies for the post of Chairman of municipalities and President of town panchayats.
Of the 21 corporations, DMK candidates have become Mayors in 20 while the Congress candidate won at Kumbakonam.
CPM Tirunelveli District Secretary, K.T.G Bhaskaran told IANS, “In the urban local body polls, we (CPM) contested as an ally of the DMK and in the Veeravanallur town panchayat, the President’s post was to be elected from our party. However, DMK Councilor S. Chitra contested and defeated our candidate. The DMK central leadership have to give an explanation as we fought together across the state and our cadres have voted for the DMK candidates. This is backstabbing and betrayal.”
In Tiruvengadam, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) was allocated the President’s post but the DMK candidate, C. Sermathurai defeated the MDMK candidate Balamurugan, inviting angry response from the MDMK local leadership.
T.M. Rajendran, MDMK’s Tenkasi District Secretary told the media, “We are saddened at the act of the DMK Councilor, C. Sermathurai who even got the support of an AIADMK Councilor to defeat our party candidate.”
The Communist Party of India (CPI) is also upset that in both Sivagiri town panchayat and Puliyangudi municipality, the DMK Councilors contested against the CPI candidates for the post of Vice-Chairman.
CPI Tenkasi District Secretary, T. Essakidurai told IANS, “The act of the DMK Councilors is totally unfounded and we have complained to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who is also the DMK President about the manner in which the DMK Tenkasi candidate has treated our party.”
The DMK Councilors also contested against the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) candidates and won seats in two municipalities for the post of Chairpersons.
VCK leader and MP, Thol Thirumavalavan slammed the local DMK leadership and urged the Chief Minister to make the DMK leaders pay who have violated the electoral arrangements.
Congress candidates were defeated in five places while its lone Mayor candidate at Kumbakonam won easily.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President, K.S. Alagiri told IANS, “The DMK local leaders after the massive victory in the polls are acting against coalition ‘dharma’ and are capturing posts allocated to us (Congress) aligning with the opposition in some seats. The DMK is a party with a specific agenda and direction and committing such acts will lower its image before the people.”
K.S. Alagiri urged M.K.Stalin to act stringently against the erring local functionaries.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has asked all the DMK Councilors, who have violated the coalition dharma, and seized the powerful posts from their allies to quit their posts and meet him in Chennai.
