CHENNAI: Good news for those irked over non-performing local councillors in Chennai. The ruling AIADMK is likely to field more new faces and young women candidates for the ensuing Chennai Corporation polls. The credit in some way goes to the unsuccessful candidates of AIADMK in the May 16 Assembly polls and the party district secretaries, who are now analysing the sitting councillors representing AIADMK and DMK. The State had passed an ordinance to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in local body polls.
“At least in Chennai, we hope for candidates with better public connect in the ensuing local body polls. Political parties to safeguard their vote bank should start weeding out sitting councillors with bad reputations”, said an advocate and social activist R. Govindaraj of T Nagar adding councillors in Chennai, cutting across party lines, do face police complaints due to illegal activities. “In Harbour, Egmore and Anna Nagar, our party fielded better candidates than the DMK nominees, but we lost due to local body representatives who failed to connect with voters. We party workers have started submitting reports to our district heads in this regard”, said advocate C. R. Sridhar, an AIADMK functionary in Egmore.
“The DMK is also doing a similar screening exercise. Our party leadership is positive towards the local body polls and we have better chances this time if the elections are held in a free and fair manner”, said a DMK MLA in Chennai. “The basic difference of votes between the ruling AIADMK and DMK is just above one per cent. With DMK gaining in metro areas, I see a good fight between the Dravidian majors in the ensuing October local body polls. Selecting good candidates in close fights is very significant”, said Raveendran Duraisamy, a political analyst.
“Our Tambaram candidate Chitlapakkam Rajendran did his best reaching out to the public seeking votes explaining the Amma schemes and good governance, but it was due to some errant officers and councillors, we lost the Assembly seat to our rivals”, admitted Star Prabha, an AIADMK functionary at Tambaram.
