SALEM: In a twist to the tale, the chairperson of the Gangavalli panchayat union, who belongs to the AIADMK, switched over to the DMK a day before the council was to vote on a no-trust motion brought by the opposition DMK against her. Incidentally, on Friday (December 31) chairperson Priya and all five AIADMK members had petitioned the Salem Collector to cancel the no-confidence motion, saying they were moving the Madras HC, but on Sunday evening, Priya and another AIADMK member K Geetha met Municipal Administration Minister K N Nehru in Salem and joined the DMK. Following this, the no-confidence motion against her was adjourned.
As two more members have joined the DMK, the strength of the party has increased to eight in the panchayat. According to sources, DMK member R Gomathi may soon be elected as the chief of the panchayat. The DMK may also capture the chairman post of Attur panchayat union in Salem district as one more member of the AIADMK has crossed over to the DMK.
In Salem district, the AIADMK swept the rural local body polls held in two phases on December 27 and 30 in 2019 and captured all 20 panchayat unions in the district. But after the DMK came to power in 2021, the party started wooing members of the AIADMK and its alliance partners to capture chairman posts.
Meanwhile, on Sunday evening, another AIADMK member P Ravichandran joined the DMK, taking the party’s count in the council to eight.
‘More gains coming for party in 2 weeks’
On Sunday evening, AIADMK member P Ravichandran joined the DMK, increasing the party’s strength in the council to eight. DMK sources said that since they have the support of 11 members along with PMK and DMDK, they will capture the chairperson post in two weeks