COVID crisis kills AIADMK men’s councillor dreams

Chennai

Though the AIADMK, which is set to complete its full term in the government, it has failed to meet the expectations of the aspiring councillors, especially with regard to civic body elections.

According to party insiders, some of the councillor candidates and party workers are evading the party relief works explaining that their income had dwindled due to the corona- crisis and have also started reaching out to AIADMK seniors seeking intervention.

“Now with corona-crisis and economic issues, chances of holding mayor and councillor elections are remote in Chennai and next year the State assembly polls are due. Most of us are upset as the ministers have dashed the political hopes of local functionaries,” said a former AIADMK MLA confirming that the local party functionaries have stopped spending money for the party relief works. Party cadres are reaching out to regional leaders like R Vaithilingam in Thanjavur and C V Shanmugham in Villupuram explaining that all is not well with the party functionaries at the lower level.

“Holding councillor elections looks remote and even campaigning will be tough if elections are held for the next few months. There are so many containment areas and they are badly hit by a coronavirus. The State should have conducted the polls earlier in Chennai,” fumed Poonganagar Selvam, joint secretary, north Chennai MGR Mandram. Some of us have also made representation to party presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan on these issues. Party cadres are now openly upset as there is no political activity and benefits for them. Amma announced no-nonsense seasoned politician J C D Prabhakar as the mayor candidate for Chennai, but we were not able to elect him. People like him would have helped the public and cadres, he explained. Any cadre in any political party will look out for political growth or benefits, but the cadres of AIADMK now feel that they are ignored by the ministers. Though Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is doing well in terms of State administration, certain ministers are not helping the party workers, noted Selvam.