AIADMK meet to discuss local poll strategy

With the party getting word that DMK plans to focus on capturing Chennai, Vellore, Tiruchy and Thanjavur municipal corporations due to the party’s success in the Assembly constituencies covered by these local bodies, the strategy will aim at ensuring that the four continue to remain in the AIADMK bailiwick. 

What has miffed the ruling party officials is that DMK principal secretary and Katpadi MLA Duraimurugan recently met the MLAs of Vellore, Anaicut, Arcot and Ranipet constituencies and goaded them to ensure the party’s victory in the local body polls. Vellore is a big loss for the ruling party which after announcing its candidate (the brother of the present DMK MLA) for the assembly polls handed over the constituency to the alliance partner. 

Thus there is no senior party official in Vellore for the locals to approach. “The district minister K C Veeramani is either in his Jolarpet constituency at one end of the district or in Chennai, making it tough for locals to approach him for local issues,” sources said. And “as local issues will dominate the panchayat elections, it is high time the party recreated the Vellore central district,” party men said. 

“Of Vellore municipal corporation’s 60 wards, 15 come under the Katpadi assembly constituency, one under Arcot constituency and four under Anaicut constituency. Durai Murugan wanted the co-operation of DMK MLAs to ensure victory,” sources added. 

Similarly, the success for DMK strongman K N Nehru in Tiruchy West constituency has been taken as a sign that he could ensure success in Trichy Corporation also as Thiruverambur is a DMK bastion within the corporation limits. For Thanjavur corporation, DMK MLAs of Tiruvaiyaru, Orathanadu, Kumbakonam and Tiruvidaimaruthur are expected to ensure the election of candidates for the party.