AIADMK councillors stage walkout over delay in start of council meeting

AIADMK councillors walk out of Erode Corporation meeting due to delay, DMK celebrates Udhayanidhi Stalin's birthday, issues addressed.

The council meeting at the Erode Corporation on Wednesday witnessed a walkout by AIADMK councillors who condemned the one-and-a-half hour delay in starting proceedings.

The council, comprising 44 DMK councillors, six AIADMK councillors, three INC councillors, one MDMK councillor and six Independents, was scheduled to meet at 10.30 a.m. However, while the AIADMK councillors, along with a few other councillors and officials, waited outside the hall, DMK councillors gathered in a separate room to celebrate the birthday of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.

During the celebration, Mayor S. Nagarathinam cut the cake in the presence of her husband and the party’s urban district secretary Subramanian. Later, the Mayor entered the council hall and offered a piece of cake to AIADMK councillor P. Nirmala Devi (Ward 3). Following this, DMK councillors were invited to the room, where the Mayor held discussions with them.

Upset over the delay, AIADMK councillors, led by the Leader of the Opposition S.D. Thangamuthu, staged a walkout around noon. Speaking to the media, Mr. Thangamuthu criticised the repeated delays, alleging that council meetings often started late by over an hour.

The Mayor finally chaired the meeting at 12.20 p.m. in the presence of Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj and Deputy Commissioner Dhanalakshmi. During the session, Councillor and Kasipalayam zone chairman K. Dhandapani (Ward 60) highlighted the shortage of excavators at the municipal solid waste dump yard in Vendipalayam, where garbage had accumulated. Officials assured councillors that repairs to the excavators would be completed within three days.

Councillors also raised concerns about open sewers and lack of street lights in their wards.

Except for the third resolution that sought permission for drone camera mapping of un-assessed properties, all 38 resolutions were passed. Less than 20 councillors remained by the time the meeting ended at 1.30 p.m.