DMK groups spar over PU chief post, Tirupattur tense

Of the 19 ward members, the DMK has 11 followed by the AIADMK with 4, PMK 2 and independent 1. Of the 11 DMK winners, 6 are said to owe allegiance to DMK general secretary and Katpadi MLA Duraimurugan and the rival group owes allegiance to DMK Jolorpet MLA and Tirupattur DMK district secretary S Devaraji.

While Duraimurugan’s group supported Sangeetha Pari wife of a local DMK functionary to the top post, the rival group demanded that Devaraji’s daughter-in-law Gayathri Prabakar be given the top post.

When the two groups came out after taking oath of office, Devaraji group tried to coax the members to support their candidate. As it failed, they started banging the top of the other group member’s car. This soon lead to an argument and some manhandling. Police then intervened and chased all away by resorting to a mild cane charge.

“Now, when the indirect polls for the post of PU chairperson takes place on Friday, there is every chance of the AIADMK supporting Sangeetha Pari, while the PMK has adopted a wait and watch attitude,” sources added.

Meanwhile, three independent winners in Kandli Panchayat Union in Tirupattur district were whisked away by DMK functionaries after they assumed office to ensure that the DMK won the chairperson’s post in the union.

The PU has a total of 22 wards of which the DMK won in 10 the AIADMK in 8, BJP 1 and independents 3. After all ward members – except BJP winner Lakshmi Boopathy who failed to come as she was sick – took the oath of office in the panchayat union office, the DMK which needed 12 votes to ensure majority and the chairmanship quickly whisked away the three independents in a car to destinations unknown.

In Thanjavur, alleging no transparency over fund allocation, DMK district council members staged a walk out against the DMK Chairperson during the meeting held on Wednesday.

As soon as the council meeting commenced chaired by the DMK Chairperson Usha, the members from the DMK charged that the Chairperson has been taking arbitrary decisions leading to no transparency which affects the development works in their respective wards. Subsequently, they staged a walkout.

Soon, Chairperson Usha pacified the DMK members to return to the meeting and said, “Once we receive more funds, each ward would be provided developmental funds.”