Now, Kancheepuram mayor faces rebellion, ouster

CHENNAI: After the mayors of Coimbatore and Tirunelveli, it is now the turn of the Kancheepuram mayor to face ouster, with the Corporation Commissioner announcing on Tuesday that the no-confidence motion against the DMK leader would be put to vote on July 29.

Of the 51 councillors, as many as 33 from DMK and alliance parties have petitioned the Kancheepuram Collector multiple times to oust Mayor Mahalakshmi Yuvaraj. Even senior DMK leader and Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru’s intervention seems to have failed to pacify the ward members who have lined up against the mayor.

Mahalakshmi’s appointment as Mayor had triggered disgruntlement among DMK members. Many of them alleged that her husband Yuvaraj was interfering and even controlling the financial matters of the corporation. According to them, the mayor remained a mere spectator while her husband ruled the roost.

Things came to a head when a majority of the councillors boycotted the recent council meeting – only 13 ward members took part in the meeting.

Though Minister Nehru held a meeting with the rebel councillors from the party, they remained adamant on Mahalakshmi’s removal from the post. On Friday, the DMK councillors filed a petition with Collector Kalaiselvi Mohan seeking the mayor’s ouster.

Following this, Corporation Commissioner Senthil Murugan announced that the no-confidence motion would be taken up at 10 am on July 29.

With 33 councillors already against her, Mahalakshmi is expected to lose the no-confidence vote. However, a few DMK insiders said that the mayor has reached out to the influential leaders, adding that the final decision will be taken by Minister Nehru.