Indirect polls in 2 PUs put off for second time in T’malai

While lack of quorum was the reason for Thurinjapuram indirect polls being put off for the second time, a suspected law and order situation resulted in the election to the top two posts in Thandarampattu PU being postponed, officials said.

Of the 28 wards in Thandarampattu PU, the DMK won 14, the AIADMK 10 and Independents 4. This resulted in the top two posts being coveted by the Dravidian majors. Polls were postponed the first time on January 11 when it looked a law and order situation could develop due to the intense rivalry.

DMK cadre from Thandarampattu rushed to the Collector’s office when they realised that the indirect polls were again put off, and handed over a petition to Collector KS Kandasamy requesting that the pending posts be filled at the earliest.

Similarly, rivalry for the vice-chairperson’s post resulted in the indirect polls to the position being put off in the Pudupalayam, Kalasapakkam and Polur panchayat unions on January 11. When re-polling took place on Thursday, independent candidate Sasikala was elected vice-chairperson of the Pudupalayam PU, while another independent, Missiammal, won the same post in the Polur PU. Missiammal is the wife of an AIADMK cadre who, miffed at not being given the ticket, made his wife contest as an Independent. In Kalasapakkam PU, Balasubramaniam of the DMK won the post of vice-chairman.