THANJAVUR: Ahead of the indirect election on March 4, intense parleys are on to capture the post of Aduthurai town panchayat chairperson in the district where the DMK and the PMK are evenly poised. The AIADMK would be the deciding factor, say sources.
Of the total 15 wards in the town panchayat, the DMK and the PMK won four wards each in the February 19 polls, while the AIADMK won two. The IUML, an ally of the DMK, secured two wards while another ally, the MDMK, won in one. Two wards were won by Independents.
Though the DMK-led alliance staked claim to seven wards, a PMK office-bearer from the area pointed to the two Independents who won in the elections being from the Vanniyar community, and said they would hence support the PMK in the election for the chairperson post. Furthermore, the AIADMK would not like to be seen supporting the DMK. Hence we would win the indirect election for the chairperson post, said PMK sources.
From the DMK-led front, M Elangovan, the son of former minister Ko Si Mani, is in the fray for the chairperson post. He is the DMK’s town panchayat unit secretary. In the PMK, the State vice-president of Vanniyar Sangam, Ma Ka Stalin, is in the race. His brother Balathandayutham also won a ward on a PMK ticket in the election last month.
Further, the PMK expects support from the AIADMK as the two were in alliance during the last Assembly elections. The party is also ready to offer the vice-chairperson post for the AIADMK, sources said.
However, there is a section in the AIADMK which doesn't want the PMK to establish a hold in the town panchayat as it would affect the prospects of the Dravidian party, a resident of Aduthurai said.