TIRUCHY: The DMK and its alliance parties recorded a clean sweep in the delta and central districts in the urban local body elections. They bettered their 2021 Assembly election performance and are all set to capture all the four Corporations in the region. Out of a total 1,895 seats, the DMK and its allies have won 1,231 seats.
The delta public, predominantly farmers, have once again voted for the DMK alliance, although AIADMK leaders attempted to change their loyalty. It may be noted that former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, during his campaigning in this region, laid stress on the point that the DMK government failed to fulfil its promise of waiving jewel loan in cooperative societies. However, that seems to have made no impact.
The DMK won in Tirukkattupalli and Thiruvaiyaur, the nearest town panchayats to Michaelpatti in Thanjavur district. This is the place where a schoolgirl died by suicide and the BJP alleged forced conversion attempt behind the incident. In Thanjavur City Corporation, the BJP managed to win a ward.
TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK won enough councillors to capture the Orathanadu town panchayat in Thanjavur, leaving behind both the DMK and the AIADMK.
In Ariyalur district, which has a strong PMK presence, the DMK bagged a good number of seats required to capture the municipalities and town panchayats. The PMK put up a poor performance here with just four wards in Jayankondam municipality under its wing.
Also, in Perambalur district, which is DMK deputy general secretary A Raja's native, the party captured all the urban local bodies.
Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, through his intense ground work, ensured DMK's victory in 3 municipalities and 8 town panchayats in Karur district. It may be recalled that despite Senthil Balaji's efforts, Karur district largely favoured AIADMK in the rural local body polls held a couple of years ago.
Tiruchy district, as usual, stood by the DMK. Under the leadership of Minister for Municipal Administration K N Nehru and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, the DMK already had the history of 100 per cent sweep by capturing all the rural local bodies and all nine Assembly seats in the district.
In this urban local body elections too, DMK is set to capture all 5 municipalities and 14 town panchayats.
In Pudukkottai district, DMK had a comfortable victory in both municipalities of Pudukkottai and Aranthangi. Except for the town panchayat of Annavasal, DMK won in the remaining seven. Iluppur town panchayat, which is the home turf of former AIADMK minister C Vijayabaskar, was also bagged by the DMK.