TIRUPPUR: After a DMK councillor placed a portrait of former chief minister MK Stalin in the hall during the Tiruppur Corporation CouncilTiruppur Corporation Council meeting on Monday, Congress and AIADMK councillors rallied separately, demanding to install the portraits of former chief ministers K Kamaraj and Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The lone BJP councillor also placed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s portrait on the wall. Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the corporation meeting as councillors from these parties demanded to place the portraits of their party leaders. After the recent regime change in the state, the portrait of Stalin had been removed from the council hall. However, on Monday, DMK councillor P Divakaran placed Stalin’s portrait before the meeting began.
Immediately after the meeting began, Congress councillors moved towards the mayor, carrying a portrait of Kamaraj. "We are not opposed to the DMK placing the portrait of Stalin. However, the portraits of all former chief ministers must be placed," said Congress councillor K Senthil Kumar.
Following suit, AIADMK councillors, led by R Anbagam Tirupati, marched towards the mayor carrying a portrait of Palaniswami. They placed Palaniswami’s portrait on the wall and admired it.
The BJP's lone councillor, R Gunasekaran, also asked his personal assistant to bring Modi’s portrait into the meeting hall and placed it on the wall.
The DMK, which opposed these activities, explained. "A resolution has already been duly passed to place the portrait of Stalin. Therefore, a resolution should be passed to place portraits of other former chief ministers as well," said DMK councillor C Govindasamy.
The mayor stated that the passing of a resolution regarding this matter would be considered at the next meeting. Following this, the councillors handed over the portraits of the leaders at the mayor's dais.
Amidst this, Councillor S Kumar, who joined the TVK from the MDMK, urged for the passing of a resolution commending C Joseph Vijay on his victory as the chief minister and for reducing the number of Tasmac outlets.
Accepting this, the mayor conveyed his greetings on behalf of the council.
Tiruppur Corporation has 60 wards, of which the DMK holds the majority with 24 councillors, many of whom also hold key positions.
N Dinesh Kumar of the DMK, who had served as the mayor before the Assembly election, had resigned to contest in the election. Subsequently, CPI's R Balasubramaniam, who previously held the post of deputy mayor, was made the acting mayor.
DMK councillor Govindaswamy insisted that two resolutions related to increasing the charges for drinking water and UGD projects be postponed, and these resolutions were subsequently postponed.
AIADMK and Congress councillors also alleged large-scale corruption in the auction of the multi-level parking facility near the central bus stand and demanded a re-auction.
The mayor subsequently postponed the relevant resolution. Corporation Commissioner MP Amith said a separate inquiry would be conducted into this matter. A total of 236 resolutions, among 240, were passed at the meeting.
