TENKASI: With the results of urban local body polls having been declared, horse-trading has begun for the post of Chairman in town panchayats and municipalities of this district.
The elected members of urban bodies such as Tenkasi municipality, Ilanchi and Courtallam town panchayats had allegedly been taken on trips by chairman aspirants.
In Surandai municipality, the DMK and Congress are separately holding talks with the AIADMK, DMDK and Puthiya Tamilagam councillors seeking their support. The DMK and AIADMK had broken up their alliance in Surandai over seat-sharing dispute and won in nine and 10 wards respectively.
As the independent candidates have secured more seats (5) than the DMK (3) and AIADMK (4) in Alangulam town panchayat, both the parties are appeasing these councillors to get their support.
While the AIADMK which emerged as the single largest party by securing 12 out of 30 wards in Sankarankovil, four independent councillors offered their support to the DMK by meeting its district secretary P Sivapadmanathan. An independent councillor in Tenkasi and two in Keezhapavoor already offered their support to DMK.
Sources claimed that the Chairman aspirants of mainstream parties have paid several lakhs of rupees to the independent councillors to get their support.