THANJAVUR: The DMK won the post of chairperson of the Pattukkottai municipality with the support of independents and cross voting by AIADMK members. Out of 33 wards in Pattukkottai municipality, both the DMK alliance won and AIADMK won 13 seats each, and Independents seven. DMK won 12 while its ally MDMK won one ward.
On Friday, S Shanmugapriya of DMK elected from ward number 32 and B Lathan of AIADMK elected from ward number 17 filed their nomination for the election of municipal chairperson post. When votes were counted, Shanmugapriya polled 22 votes and was declared winner. The AIADMK candidate could get only 11 votes.
Therefore, besides independent candidates, AIADMK members also cross voted, which made the victory possible.
Meanwhile, election to the post of vice-chairperson of Pattukkottai municipality had to be deferred as elected DMK alliance members and five independents did not turn up.
In Adirampattinam municipality, MMSA Thaheera Ammal of DMK elected from ward number 10 and nominated by the party high command for the municipal chairperson post was elected unopposed.
However, when the election for vice-chairperson post was held in the afternoon, DMK candidate Rama Gunasekaran from ward number 5 filed his nomination despite the post being allocated to CPI. When voting was held, Rama Gunasekaran got elected with 20 votes. H Dil Nawaz Behum of CPI got only five votes. Members of CPI staged protest in front of the town panchayat office alleging betrayal by DMK cadre.