MADURAI/TIRUNELVELI: Tension prevailed at the municipal office after an argument broke out between officials and DMK cadre on Saturday after six votes were announced invalid during the indirect election for the post of municipal chairman.Sources said in the urban local body election that was held earlier, DMK had won in 19 wards, AIADMK in six, and both DMDK and Congress had secured victory in one ward each in Thirumangalam municipality.
The indirect election for selecting municipal chairman, scheduled for March 4 was postponed due to the absence of councillors. DMK’s Ramya Muthukumar and Uma Vijayan of AIADMK were in the fray for the indirect election held on Saturday.After bagging 15 out of the 27 total votes, Ramya was announced as winner and was selected as chairperson of the municipality. AIADMK candidate received just six votes, and another six votes were declared invalid. Following the announcement, the DMK cadre were outside the municipal office created ruckus.
Some of them barged into the office and started arguing with the election officials on the announcement of invalid votes. Due to absence of the councillors, indirect elections for panchayat vice-president in V Pudupatti and for chairman for Courtallam town panchayats were postponed. In V Padupatti (15 wards), only 3 councillors, including panchayat president, turned up. In Courtallam town panchayat elections, out of the total 8 ward councillors, 4 from DMK did not show up.