KARUR: While the suspense remains on who will become the first-ever mayor for Karur City Municipal Corporation (KCMC), two names have been tipped for the position.
Of the 48 wards in the newly-formed KCMC, the DMK showed its prowess by securing all but the two wards won by the AIADMK and another two by independent candidates. Sources said that even the Independents emerged victorious with the DMK's support owing to the alleged rift with Karur MP Jothimani of the Congress.
After securing the thumping victory, all eyes are on Minister V Senthil Balaji who is expected to select the first mayor to head Karur's new Corporation Council. While DMK functionaries are left in the dark on who's leading the mayor candidate race, sources have revealed two names as tipped for the position.
V Kavitha Ganesan of the DMK, who contested in Ward 4 of the KCMC, is said to be a front runner. Of the 3,157 votes polled in the ward, she secured 1,993 votes as against her AIADMK counterpart P Ranjitham who received only 124 votes. BJP candidate V Usha had secured second place with 954 votes. Kavitha is the wife of Ganesan, who is working as the party's star spokesperson and Karur north town secretary.
Another contender whose name has been pitched for the mayoral role is R Deivanai who had won from Ward 34 by securing 1,979 votes of the total 2,759 polled.
She defeated AIADMK candidate G Selvi by a margin of 1,358 votes.
Apart from them, rumours are doing the rounds of Manjula Periyasamy, the independent candidate who won in Ward 12, of taking the mantle after she formally joins the DMK.
Further, according to sources, being the two close associates of Minister Senthil Balaji, either Tharani Saravan of Ward 46, or Gold Spot Raja (a) Raja of Ward 38, is likely to be elected deputy mayor of KCMC. Neither the public nor partypersons know who would get the mayor and deputy mayor roles as our minister Senthil Balaji is known for surprising everyone in the last minute, party sources said.