DMK sweeps urban local bodies polls in Cuddalore and Villupuram
The Hindu
The party wins Cuddalore Corporation, six municipal councils and 14 town panchayats
The ruling DMK registered a massive victory in the urban local bodies elections in Cuddalore district by bagging the Cuddalore Corporation, six municipal councils — Nellikuppam, Panruti, Chidambaram, Vridhachalam, Vadalur and Thittakudi and 14 town panchayats.
Of the total 45 wards in the Cuddalore Corporation, the DMK won 30 wards. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the DMK, won three wards while the Congress won one, taking the tally of the ruling DMK-led alliance to 34.
The AIADMK won six wards and was pushed to a distant second while the PMK won one ward. The BJP also won one ward and opened its account in the Corporation while Independents won wards 33, 36, and 44 in the Corporation.
The first few hours of counting since 8 a.m., showed that the DMK polled the most number of votes. The ruling party also won the six Municipal councils with a convincing majority, sweeping close to 90% of the wards. Of the 135 wards across the six municipal councils, the DMK won 92 while the AIADMK won 16 wards.
In Chidambaram municipality, the DMK-led alliance registered an impressive performance winning 31 of the total 33 wards. The AIADMK and PMK won one ward each. In Vadalur municipality, the DMK front won 26 of the total 27 wards leaving one to the AIADMK. The DMK also won the Nellikuppam, Panruti, Vriddhachalam and Thittakudi municipalities with a convincing majority, sweeping close to two-thirds of the wards.
In the 14 town panchayats, the DMK and its allies won 148 of the total 222 wards while the AIADMK won 37 wards.
In Villupuram district, out of 102 wards in the municipal councils of Villupuram, Tindivanam, and Kottakuppam, the DMK-led alliance made a clean sweep winning 70 wards. The AIADMK won seven in Villupuram municipality, four in Tindivanam and three wards in Kottakuppam municipality. The PMK won five wards while the BJP drew a blank.