Cong panchayat union vice-chairman quits

Tirunelveli/Thanjavur: The snapping of ties between DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu over supporting TVK has caused friction in local bodies ruled by the DMK alliance. In Valliyur in Tirunelveli district, Tirunelveli East district Congress trader wing president S Venkatesh Dhanraj resigned as vice-chairman of the panchayat union on Thursday. In Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, DMK councillors are reportedly preparing a no-confidence motion against the Congress mayor.In Valliyur panchayat union, Dhanraj had secured the vice-chairman position through the DMK-led alliance. Following the recent political shift, he said he felt it would be unethical to continue holding a post granted under the coalition banner after severing ties. He met panchayat union chairman and DMK functionary Xavier Selvaraja Gnana Thiraviam and handed over his resignation letter. Kumbakonam municipal corporation has 48 wards. In the 2022 local body elections, DMK won 38 of them, and Congress two, while AIADMK, communists and independents won the remaining eight wards. DMK nominated Congress councillor K Saravanan as mayor and DMK's S P Tamilazhagan as deputy mayor. Reports said severance of ties has infuriated DMK councillors and that plans were afoot to bring down the mayor.