TVK Functionaries Threaten Municipal officials for Contracts: Thoothukudi Mayor

The allegation came during a stormy Corporation council meeting on Friday after two councillors, who recently switched to the TVK, raised demands over civic projects.

Manthiramoorthy, who defected from the AIADMK, and Ramar, who switched over from the DMK, refused to take their seats and raised slogans accusing the Mayor of ignoring the two TVK ministers in the district.

Manthiramoorthy demanded that the council pass a resolution thanking the state government for allocating Rs. 90 crore for the development of the new bus stand. Ramar sought the inclusion of minister Mathanraja’s name on a plaque at a newly-opened fair price shop in his ward. Their demands triggered an argument with DMK councillors.

Rejecting the demand for a resolution, Jegan Periyasamy said the bus stand expansion plan had been drawn up by the DMK-run Corporation and funds had been sought for the project for the past two years. The present government had allocated the funds only after the change of government and, therefore, could not claim credit for the project, he said.

On the fair price shop plaque, the Mayor said the building had been constructed with funds from former Ottapidaram DMK MLA Shanmugaiah. He alleged that Mathanraja had not contributed funds to any development work there and, hence, his name could not be included on the plaque.

Jegan Periyasamy alleged that TVK functionaries in the district were threatening Corporation officials and contractors, invoking the names of TVK ministers, to secure contracts for people of their choice. He termed the alleged practice unlawful, and said he would personally lodge a police complaint over the threats.

Subsequently, the two TVK councillors staged a walkout, raising slogans against the Mayor and DMK councillors. The council passed all 16 resolutions on the agenda, besides a special resolution moved by the Mayor to reopen the community hall at Boldonpuram for public use. The councillors also raised various ward-level issues, to which the Mayor and Commissioner C. Priyanka responded.