Chennai: The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is in a spot at Nelikkuppam municipality in Cuddalore district after party leader Jayanthi Radhakrishnan who was elected municipal chairman refused to quit the post despite directive from the party high command.
The post was allotted to the DMK’s ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) but was seized by DMK’s Jayanthi Radhakrishnan.
Party supremo and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin had warned all the DMK councillors and ward members to quit their respective posts if they had seized it from the party allies.
In this context, Jayanthi Radhakrishnan has to quit as the seat was allotted to the VCK. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi cadres are blocking the street at Nellikkuppam municipality and a heavy posse of police is deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
Interestingly Jayaprabha Manivannan of the DMK who was elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the municipality resigned from the post following the party directive. Vice-Chairman post was also reserved for the VCK.
Of the total 30 wards in the municipality, DMK won in 13 and its allies in 5. AIADMK won 3 wards. DMDK and PMK won one ward each while independents won in 7 wards.
Sources in DMK said that the party local leadership was not willing to part with the post of Chairperson. Jayanti Radhakrishnan of the DMK got 23 votes while the VCK candidate Girija Thirumaran polled only 3 votes. Three votes became invalid and an AIADMK member abstained.
The post of Vice-chairman was also held on March 4 afternoon and Girija Thirumaran contested for the VCK against Jayaprabha Manivannan of the DMK.
While Jayaprabha received 22 votes, Girija Thirumaran got 6 votes. One member abstained from voting while another vote was declared invalid.
After the DMK high command intervened, Jayaprabha Manivannan resigned and Girija Thirumaran will be elected to the post of Vice-Chairman.
