SALEM: In a desperate move to salvage political ground after the assembly poll debacle, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (
DMK) has fielded 40 new faces for the
Salem Municipal Corporation
election to be held on October 17.
Incidentally, the party high command has given ticket to only four of the nine sitting councillors.
As per the list released by DMK chief M Karunanidhi and treasurer Stalin on Wednesday, the party will contest in 54 wards of the 60-ward council.
It has given five wards to its ally Congress and one to
Indian Union Muslim League
(IUML).
For the first time in recent times, the late DMK stalwart Veerapandi S Arumugam's supporters were sidelined and denied ticket in this local body election.
Instead, majority of the candidates in the list are supporters of Salem North MLA Panamarathupatti R Rajendran, according to DMK sources.
Rajendran is also the Salem central district secretary of the party.
"Former mayor of SMC Dr G Soodamani, former opposition party leader S D Kalaiamudhan were given chance to contest once again in wards 43 and 51 respectively," said a party functionary.
Sitting councillors Kabir (ward 33), Vijaya Ramalingam (ward 48), Mathiyan (ward 59) and Murugan (59) have been given chance again to contest in the same wards. All the nine sitting councillors were supporters of Veerapandi Arumugam.
"To satisfy Veerapandi S Arumugam's supporters, the party high command has given ticket to Kabir, Vijaya Ramalingam and Mathaiyan. At the same time, rest of Arumugam supporters, including opposition party leader M Buvaneswari, Deivalingam and Sarala Gunasekaran, were denied ticket," they said.
Veerapandi Arumugam's son Veerapandi A Raja tried his best to get ticket for his supporters, sources familiar with the exercise said.
"But his attempts went in vain," he said.
Start a Conversation
Post comment