The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) seems to be on its way to making a clean sweep of the urban civic polls in Tamil Nadu after winning 146 wards out of the total 200 in Chennai. Its rival All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is in a distant second, securing wins in 15 wards.
In addition to this, DMK is leading in all 21 corporations.
According to the state election commission, Congress is forward in nine wards of the Greater Chennai Municipal Corporation, INDPT (4), CPI (M) (2), MDMK (2), CPI (1), BJP (1), among others in 200 wards constituency.
Rejoiced by DMK's lead, party chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that results portray recognition of the Dravidian model and certification of good governance to his government.
"As DMK led UPA alliance are winning with huge margins, I thank people. This is a certificate given to the last 9 months of our governance. This is a reorganisation for the Dravidian model," said Stalin.
In Madurai district's Sozhavandhan Town Panchayat, Ma Vallimayil and her son Ma Maruthupandiyan won from ward 13 and 8 respectively. Both were independents.
In Alanganallur Town Panchayat in the same district, DMK nominees, GL Renuka Easwari and her husband Ra Govindaraj won from wards 4 and 5 respectively.
In Kanchipuram's Kundrathur municipality, Banu Sathiyamurthy and her husband Ko Sathiyamurthy won from wards 17 and 18 on DMK tickets.
A transwoman, Ra Ganga, won on a DMK ticket from ward 38 of Vellore Municipal Corporation. A woman college student, E Sa Kowsiki, won from ward 17 of Nagercoil Corporation and a member of top Tamil actor Vijay's fans association, Ja Mohammed Parvez won as an independent from Pudukottai Municipality's ward 4.
The urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu were held on Saturday for 12,607 posts in 21 corporations, 138 municipalities, and 490 town panchayats.
There are 57,778 candidates contesting for 12,607 posts.
Polls were announced last month by the TN State Election Commission for a total of 12,838 ward member posts in 649 urban civic bodies. The 649 urban local bodies are 21 municipal corporations, 138 municipalities and 490 town panchayats.
Subsequently, polls for all the 12 wards in Kadambur town panchayat in Thoothukudi district were cancelled for violations. For a town panchayat ward (Kanadukathan) in Sivaganga district, no nominations were filed.
In total, 218 candidates were elected unopposed. Counting of votes is underway in 268 centres and the process of declaration of results is expected to be completed soon.
