Urban local body polls: DMK’s sweet revenge in Western TN

Barely nine months after its humiliating defeat at the hands of the AIADMK in many Assembly constituencies in western Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK alliance was headed for a sweep in the urban civic polls in the region, as per available trends on Tuesday at noon.

In contrast to losing in all 10 Assembly seats in Coimbatore district last year, the DMK was leading in the civic polls held for the Coimbatore Corporation, seven municipalities and 33 town panchayats as of noon. The DMK and its allies won 11 of the 12 wards in Coimbatore Corporation and the AIADMK won only one ward.

In Pollachi, the DMK won or was leading in 23/36 wards and registered impressive performances in wards in town panchayats. The process started off peacefully at the Government College of Technology, where the counting of votes polled for Coimbatore Corporation, and 16 other places for municipalities and town panchayats was on.

Candidates from the DMK-led alliance swept two out of six Municipalities in Tiruppur district. According to the poll officials, candidates from the DMK alliance won 14 out of 18 wards in Palladam Municipality. The DMK has won in 12 wards while its allies MDMK and Congress won in one ward each. The remaining four wards were won by AIADMK (one ward), BJP (two wards) and one Independent candidate.

In Kangeyam Municipality, DMK alliance candidates won 11 out of 18 seats (DMK 10 and Congress one). AIADMK won four wards and Independent candidates won in three wards. The DMK alliance candidates were also leading in Thirumuruganpoondi, Dharapuram, Udumalpet and Vellakoil Municipalities, officials said. Out of the 60 wards in Tiruppur Corporation, the DMK candidates won in Wards 2, 3 and 46 while the AIADMK won Wards 1, 9 and 33. Counting of votes for the remaining wards was under way at Chikkanna Government Arts College in Tiruppur as of noon.

The DMK won eight wards in Kil Kundah town panchayat in the Nilgiris. The Congress won in three wards, while two independent candidates were also victorious, with the AIADMK and BJP winning one ward apiece. In the Coonoor municipality where 30 wards are being contested, nine wards were won by DMK candidates, while the AIADMK won in three wards. One Congress candidate and one independent candidate were also victorious.

In Udhagamandalam municipality, candidates in ward 9, 10 and 14 belonging to the DMK were declared winners, while AIADMK candidates in Wards 12 and 15 emerged victorious. The Congress won in Ward 13 while an independent candidate was declared the winner in Ward 16.