DMK win in Nellai Dy. Mayor election, a fait accompli

By Syed Muthahar

TIRUNELVELI, OCT. 28. With numbers on its side, the DMK is all set to retain the post of Deputy Mayor of the Tirunelveli Corporation, even as the AIADMK is making all-out efforts to upset the plans of its arch-rival by wooing independents.

In the 55-member Council, the DMK front has a strength of 25 - DMK 23, BJP 1 and DMK-supported independent 1. The AIADMK alliance has 18 councillors - AIADMK 12, TMC 5 and the Tamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam of Mr. John Pandian 1. As many as a dozen independents have been elected. Both the fronts are leaving no stone unturned to gain their support. The CPI, the CPI(M) and the Indian National League had representation in the last Council, but could not make it this time.

Mr. S. Viswanathan, Deputy Mayor in the previous Council, is expected to be the automatic choice of the DMK. But another influential partyman, Mr. P. Subramanian, elected from ward 7, was also said to have staked his claim.

However, senior party leaders have prevailed upon Mr. Subramanian with an assurance of nominating him for chairman of the Tachanallur ward committee. DMK circles say Mr. Viswanathan alone, with his influence among various sections, will be able to overcome the AIADMK challenge.

Besides mobilising the support of the independents, Mr. Viswanathan is wooing at least three TMC councillors, with whom he developed a cordial relationship even in the previous Council. His supporters claim that even a couple of AIADMK councillors elected from Pettai will vote for him. The DMK is confident that Mr. Viswanathan will be able to garner the support of at least 35 members.

The AIADMK's main predicament is finding a suitable candidate for Deputy Mayor. All AIADMK councillors renominated by the party were defeated, except Mr. Suda Paramasivan, former Tachanallur ward committee chairman, who has been elected from ward 6. The party knows well that none of the new councillors will be a match to the `all-powerful' Mr. Viswanathan. Mr. Suda Paramasivan is also not said to be keen on contesting against him.

But it is the AIADMK which began intense lobbying, wooing independents elected mainly from Melapalayam town. Since it was an uphill task, there was not much enthusiasm among the partymen.

A section of the AIADMK men said the party had to concede defeat in the initial stage itself. However, another section of the AIADMK claims that local party leaders are making careful moves. There is still a group of DMK councillors, totally opposed to the style of functioning of Mr. Viswanathan. The AIADMK is in contact with them. ``We will not give it up so easily'', says this section of the AIADMK.

Even on the four ward committees - Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai, Melapalayam and Tachanallur - the independents are expected to play a crucial role in the election of chairperson. There is said to be a keen contest in the DMK in getting the party nomination for the Tachanallur committee, between Mr. P. Subramanian (ward 7) and Mr. R. Vallinayagam, who defeated the AIADMK floor leader in the previous Council, Mr. Palani, in ward 4. However, the DMK is said to have finalised its choice smoothly for the other three ward committees.

The Melapalayam ward committee is expected to witness a tussle between Mr. M. S. Shajahan of the AIADMK (ward 32) and Mr. S. S. Mohamed Mohideen (DMK), a member of the previous Council (ward 36). While the DMK has a strength of six here, the AIADMK has four. The other four councillors are independents and both the parties are depending on their support.

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