The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tussle in Tamil Film Producers' Council poll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 10, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tussle in Tamil Film Producers' Council poll

Staff Reporter

Trouble erupts after announcement of general secretary's post

GREETING: AVM Saravanan congratulating the newly elected president of Tamil Film Producers' Council Ramanarayanan at the Film Chamber complex. — PHOTO: M. VEDHAN

CHENNAI: The election of office bearers to the Tamil Film Producers' Council ended in commotion on Sunday.

Though the voting at the Film Chamber complex, which began at 9 a.m. and continued till 4 p.m., was peaceful with a host of film personalities turning up to elect their nominees, trouble erupted shortly after the announcement of the general secretary's post.

After the voting, election officer AVM. Murugan counted the votes from the treasurer's ballot and declared Azhagan Thamizmani as elected.

As the election officer began counting the votes for the six vice-presidents, it soon became evident that the margins separating the candidates would be slender. A suggestion was made to take up the counting of votes to this post after the general secretary's post.

Heated argument

However, a section of the members opposed the suggestion and demanded that the winners of the vice-president's post be declared immediately. The situation turned worse when a group of members entered the counting room and picked up a heated argument with the election officer.

Ballot papers seized

At this stage, some members seized a bundle of ballot papers and tore them into pieces.

Amid this, Mr. Murugan tried to pacify the agitated group of producers.

On being alerted about the incidents, producer-director Ramanarayanan, who was recently elected council president, came to the Film Chamber complex and held discussions with Mr. Murugan and other members.

An amicable solution had not been reached at the time of going to press.

Earlier, in the morning most film personalities turned up to vote.

Producer A.V.M. Saravanan, Kamal Haasan and Radhika were among those who cast their votes.

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