Cong strengthening hold on local bodies in Pondy

Pondicherry, Jul 3 (UNI) The ruling Congress-led alliance is slowly but steadily strengthening its hold on the local bodies as the counting of votes progressed.

The Congress won both Mahe and Yanam Chairmen post and was poised to win Ozhukarai Municipal Chairman post while its ally, the DMK, was set for a victory in the Pondicherry Municipality.

The DMDK won the Karaikal Municipality with its candidate Prabavathyd defeating her nearest DMK rival Bhuvaneeswari by a margin of 3,010 votes.

Of the ten municipal councillor posts in Yanam, the Congress secured nine and the AIADMK one.

The Congress won seven, CPI (M) six and independents two in the Mahe Municipality.

In 18-member Karaikal Municipality, the Congress won seven seats followed by the DMK (5), DMDK (2), Independents (3) and PMC (1).

In Ozhukarai Municipality where 13 of the 37 results were announced, the Congress bagged six seats followed by the DMK (4), independents (2) and the PMC (1).

The DMK and the Congress captured nine and seven seats respectively where the results of 34 of the 42 municipal councillor posts in the Pondicherry Municipality were announced.

They were followed by independents (9), PMC (5), AIADMK (3) and CPI (1).

Counting for the commune panchayats were currently on.

UNI PAB GM MSJ BD1945