THOOTHUKUDI: Tension prevailed in Kovilpatti union chairman election as an AIADMK candidate was announced as the winner while the DMK claimed it had the majority in the segment.
The election was held on Thursday as the one scheduled to be held on January 11 was postponed after the Returning Officer and Cooperative Sub Registrar S Jeyaseelan suffered a chest pain. Kovilpatti has 19 union wards, of which AIADMK and its ally DMDK together won six seats (5+1).
In the opposition camp, the DMK and its ally the CPI won nine wards (8+1). Independent candidates won in four other wards. Later, while two Independents are said to have joined the DMK taking the camp’s tally to 11, a VCK candidate jumped over to the AIADMK side.
In the end, the DMK seemed to have 10 members, enough to bag the majority to win the chairman post. However, Returning Officer Uma Shankar declared AIADMK party candidate Kasthuri as winner, triggering protests from the DMK. They demanded that the officials show the ballot papers and recount the votes. Uma Shankar declined their request and the protestors were bundled out by the police.
Later, flanked by 10 union ward members, Thoothukudi MP K Kanimozhi blockaded the Ettayapuram Road in front of the union office. Despite police holding talks, the agitation continued till 4 pm. She termed the announcement 'bogus', and demanded that a re-election be conducted.
Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur C Raju told reporters that the indirect election was conducted as per the stipulations of the State Election Commission. "All the 19 ward members have the right to vote for the candidate of their choice. We cannot even tell whom the nine ward members of the AIADMK voted for. Anything could have happened," he said.
The State Election Commission told Express, "The election took place 100 per cent in accordance with rules. The entire proceedings have been videographed. We received complaints regarding this election, and verified the process. We found there was no violation of rules. Even if the matter goes to court, the SEC is ready to produce the video clipping."
The protest and the subsequent boycott by the DMK and its allies resulted in Returing Officer Uma Shankar adjourning the election for the vice chairman post in the afternoon for want of quorum.