With counting of votes in progress for the posts of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of panchayat unions (PU) and district panchayats (DP) in 27 districts, the ruling AIADMK-led front is ahead of the DMK’s combine by claiming the post of chairperson of DPs in 9 districts.
As of 4.30 pm, the ruling party and its ally have bagged the DP chairperson’s post in nine districts -- Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Tiruppur, Pudukottai, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Virudhunagar and Theni while the DMK has got six – Namakkal, Tiruchi, Ramnathapuram, Dindigul, Madurai and Tiruvallur.
In Pudukottai, the ruling party has sprung a surprise, as even though it won fewer councils in the DP council originally than the DMK, its candidate T. Jayalakshmi managed to win over the confidence of 12 members against 9 votes scored by the DMK candidate in the election. Apparently, three ward members belonging to the DMK-Congress voted in support of her.
As regards Panchayat Unions, the DMK is ahead of the AIADMK as its nominees for the post of chairperson were elected in a majority of the unions in six districts – Tiruchi, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur and Tiruvallur. The ruling party retained its lead in four districts – Erode, Namakkal, Coimbatore and Thoothukudi. The DMK bagged all the PUs in Tiruchi and the AIADMK, Coimbatore.
