The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Three DMK members assume charge as municipal chairmen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 29, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Three DMK members assume charge as municipal chairmen

Staff Reporter

R.S. Bharathi assumes office for fourth successive term in Alandur Father-son combination heads Ullagaram-Puzhuthivakkam

MOTHER'S GESTURE: Pallavaram's newly elected municipal chairman E. Karunanidhi being greeted by his mother after the election on Saturday. (Centre) R.S. Bharathi (Alandur chairman) and E. Mani (Tambaram Chairman). — Photos: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM : Among the six municipalities in the southern suburbs of Chennai, candidates belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam assumed charge as chairmen in three,Congress in two and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in one.

Tension prevailed in Anakaputhur, with AIADMK members alleging that an independent councillor, who abstained from voting, had been kidnapped by the ruling DMK partymen and their allies.

K. Bharathi of Congress was declared elected as chairperson of this municipality.

The post of chairperson here was reserved for Women (General). Among the 18 councillors, 17 turned up for voting.

Ms. Bharathi secured nine votes. D. Hemavathy of AIADMK polled eight. AIADMK members alleged that Mr. Subramaniam, independent councillor of ward 17, had been kidnapped.

Former municipal chairman and AIADMK member, Mr. Velayudham, said there was no sign of the independent candidate even after chairman's election.

Hence, they stayed away from the elections for the post of the vice-chairperson.

His mother, Siva Bhagyam, was the AIADMK candidate and she withdrew her nomination in protest, facilitating the declaration of P. Maheswari of the DMK as vice-chairperson.

Cross-voting

The other municipality that has a Congress member as chairman is Tambaram. E. Mani polled 29 votes, 19 more than his rival T.K.M. Chinnaiah of the AIADMK.

Though there are 13 councillors belonging to the AIADMK and two of its ally, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Mr. Chinnaiah polled only 10 votes. And, for the post of vice-chairman, D.Kamaraj (DMK) polled 27 votes and L.R. Chezhian secured 12 , indicating that some AIADMK councillors did not cast their vote in favour of their party candidates.

In Pallavaram, E. Karunanidhi assumed office as chairman and G. Karuna as vice-chairman. Both belong to the DMK. In Alandur, R.S. Bharathi (DMK) assumed office as municipal chairman for the fourth successive term, while his party colleague V. Duraivelu was elected vice-chairman.

In Pammal, V. Karunanidhi and R. Kandhavel, both belonging to the DMK took over as chairman and vice-chairman respectively.

In Ullagaram-Puzhuthivakkam, it was a father-son combination with P.A.Jayachandran and his son J. Kumara Manikandan assuming office as chairman and vice- chairman respectively.

At the St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union, officials resorted to a draw of lots as both candidates K. Elumalai (DMK) and E.Rajasekar (AIADMK) polled 12 votes each.

The Panchayat Union has 24 councillors. Following the tie, Mehboob Basha, Returning Officer and Assistant Director, Panchayats, Kancheepuram district, conducted a draw of lots and Mr. Elumalai was declared elected.

For the post of vice chairman, M. Manoharan, former chairman of the Panchayat Union in 1996, secured 14 votes, while C. Manimaran of the AIADMK got 10. Soon after casting of votes for the post of chairmen, councillors in the local bodies were safely taken away for lunch and brought back to vote for vice chairmen.

At the office of St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union in Chitlapakkam, an air-conditioned luxury omni bus was arranged to transport councillors belonging to a section.

In neighbouring Kunrathur Panchayat Union, A. Manoharan (DMK) was elected chairman in a no-contest. There are 23 councillors in the union. Sujatha Baskar, also of the DMK was elected vice-chairperson.

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