Heads roll in DMK as preparations for urban local body polls begin

The DMK, shocked by the loss of certain party candidates to rebel candidates, has taken action against party functionaries who were in-charge of the constituencies and who had encouraged some rebel candidates during the rural local body elections in nine districts of the state.

The action has been taken after party enquiry commission members constituted to conduct a study on the election results in the recent rural body elections and the commission members have found gross indiscipline on the part of some functionaries.

Based on the report given by the party inquiry commission members, the DMK has taken action and suspended several functionaries, including four union secretaries, two unions in-charges, and the husband of one union chairperson. Vellore district Alangayam union in-charge A.V.S. Gnavelan, member of the union in-charge team Pari, husband of Alangayam union chairperson Sangheetha, east union in charge Munivel, Tenkasi district Kadayam union secretary, R. Sridharan, and several other senior party leaders.

Sources in the DMK told IANS that action has been taken after the party inquiry commission found that these office-bearers had grossly erred during the elections to the rural local bodies and party candidates losing the polls.

Party had taken stringent action against these leaders as a warning to the erring leaders that they will be subject to scrutiny and subsequent actions if they don't work properly in the ensuing urban local body elections of December.

A senior leader of the DMK while speaking to IANS said, "DMK is a cadre-based party and if the local leaders and for that matter even state leaders show indiscipline, action will be taken against them. They will be given proper opportunity to go back to their roots and work among the people and perform and come back to the party positions. There is no compromise in the party in the cadre-based actions it has been continuing and we are more responsible, given the party is in power."