Former Chennai Mayor, 17 candidates elected opposed

Chennai, Feb 08 (UNI) Former Chennai Corporation mayor M Subramaniam was among 18 candidates elected unopposed, as withdrawal of nominations for the February 18 repolls ended today.

Of the 18 candidates elected unopposed, 13 were from the ruling DMK, three belonged to Congress and two from the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), all constituents of the DMK-led DPA.

The opposition AIADMK and its ally MDMK had decided to boycott the repoll, being held after the resignation of 98 councillors, following the split verdict of the Madras High Court on an AIADMK petition.

Besides the repoll to 98 wards, by poll is being held to two wards following the resignation of AIADMK and MDMK councillors in protest against violence during the October 13 civic polls.

In its petition, the AIADMK had alleged large scale rigging and booth capturing during the local body elections and demanded repoll to all 155 wards of the Chennai Corporation.

Consequent to the split verdict, with one Judge dismissing the petition and the other ordering repoll in 98 wards, Councillors of the DMK and Mr Subramaniam, who was elected as Chennai Mayor in the indirect elections held after the October 13 polls, resigned on the advice of DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

This led to the repoll.

The other constituents of the DPA - Congress, PMK and the Dalit Panthers of India - also followed suit.

UNI