Independent becomes town panchayat chairman even as ruling DMK has 10 of 15 members

An independent councillor has been elected as the chairman of Kallidaikurichi town panchayat even as the ruling DMK has 10 councillors in this urban civic body with 15 wards.

Of the 15 members, DMK has 10 councillors and AIADMK has only two members. The Congress, BJP and Independent have one member each in the Kallidaikurichi Special Grade Town Panchayat council. DMK member Anthonyammal of Manjolai, who was elected as chairperson of the town panchayat, was shunted out on May 8 last through the no confidence motion jointly moved by the councillors including the DMK members.

When the election for the new chairman was held on Friday, 14 councillors participated to cast their votes. Interestingly, independent councillor Siddharth Siva was elected with 10 votes while his opponent Mohan Raja polling only four votes.

Only a few days ago, the DMK members joined hands with the AIADMK councillors to unseat Sankarankovil municipality chairperson Uma Maheshwari of DMK and the plea for moving no confidence motion against Nanguneri panchayat union chairperson Sowmya Arockiya Edwin of DMK is pending with Tirunelveli District Collector.