The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Uncertainty ends over Namakkal municipal chairman post

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Saturday, Oct 28, 2006
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Uncertainty ends over Namakkal municipal chairman post

S. Ramesh

Two Independent councillors join AIADMK; combine now has 16 members

NAMAKKAL: The fortnight-long uncertainty that has prevailed among the political parties over the chairman post in the Namakkal Municipality has come to an end with two Independent councillors joining the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

The precarious balance, which the municipality has been witnessing between the DMK-led DPA and AIADMK alliance since the day the results were announced, has been decisively tilted in favour of the latter alliance as its strength has increased to 16 in the 30-member municipal council against the DMK's 13.

While S. Nirmala, who was elected from ward 5, joined the AIADMK on October 23 after three days N.V. Natarajan from ward 11 also joined the AIADMK. The third Independent councillor Anbazhagan (ward 13) has kept his intensions a secret. The decision of the two councillors has, however, put at rest speculations and allegations of `horse-trading' reportedly indulged in by the rival political parties since the local body results were declared.

No party had a clear majority in the municipal council. The AIADMK won 13 seats, DMK 12, Congress and MDMK one each and Independents three. In the seat matrix, the AIADMK alliance (14 seats) fell short of two for a clear majority, while the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (13 seats) needed three more to win the chairman's post.

Hence, both the Dravidian parties tried their best to woo the three Independent councillors, who happened to be AIADMK rebel candidates, sources here point out.

However, the AIADMK has managed to woo two of them back to their fold. Now, the alliance has a clear majority of 16 councillors, including the lone MDMK member, while the DMK has 14 including the Congress councillor.

The indirect election to the municipal chairman's post is scheduled on October 28. Ward 1 councillor Bhaskar (AIADMK) and ward 28 councillor, Selvaraj (DMK) are said to be the contestants for the post.

The DMK had held the chairman's post in the previous council with the party district secretary S. Gandhiselvan holding the post.

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