News Tamil Nadu

Cuddalore Dt DMK Councillors To Stage Hunger Strike, Threaten Resignation Over Alleged Neglect By DMK Mayor

January 31, 2024
The Commune

Ten DMK councillors from Cuddalore district have declared their intention to undertake a hunger strike on 31 January 2024. The councillors allege that the basic facilities crucial for their wards’ development have not been provided by the Mayor, Sundari Rajan, who is also a member of the ruling party DMK.

The hunger strike is scheduled to take place in front of the Gandhi statue within the municipality office campus. The councillors assert that their demands have fallen on deaf ears, and their attempts to seek redress from the DMK government have yielded no results.

Councillors their frustration, stating, “We have repeatedly brought our concerns to the attention of the DMK government, but unfortunately, no concrete action has been taken. Our wards are suffering due to the lack of basic facilities, and we can no longer stand idly by.”

The councillors have also issued a stern warning, threatening to resign from their positions if their demands are not met. This move is noteworthy given that the Mayor, Sundari Rajan, belongs to the same DMK party as the protesting councillors.

“We are left with no choice but to take this extreme step to gain the government’s attention. The hunger strike is a last resort, and if our requests are not addressed promptly, we will have no option but to submit our resignations,” they stated.

This is not the first time DMK members especially councillors are expressing displeasure at their party publicly.

In September 2023, thirteen councillors affiliated with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tindivanam Municipality abruptly walked out of a municipal meeting, expressing deep dissatisfaction with their inability to address basic needs in their wards, citing external pressures limiting their effectiveness. The disillusioned councillors announced their intention to resign, attributing their decision to the City Council’s inaction on pressing issues such as garbage collection, inadequate lighting, and water-related problems despite repeated attempts to address these concerns.

During a Tirunelveli Corporation council meeting on 27 July 2023, women councillors from the DMK staged a protest, accusing former Minister TPM Mohideen Khan of threatening their lives during the selection of candidates for the taxation appellate committee election. The conflict unfolded as the councillors confronted the Mayor and Deputy Mayor about the alleged threat, leading to a disruption in the meeting and a brief departure of the Mayor and Commissioner before their return.

In November 2023, in Ooty, a contentious two-phase project to replace century-old municipal shops with modern establishments has sparked heated debate, with Vice Chairman J. Ravikumar supporting the development and Mustafa, a DMK councilor, vehemently opposing it. The dispute escalated during a municipal meeting, revealing tensions within the DMK party as both councilors, known for making joint decisions in the past, clashed over the construction project, leading to a heated exchange and allegations of corruption.

In December 2023, thirty-eight DMK councillors in Tirunelveli Corporation have formally requested Commissioner Shubham Dnyandeorao Thakare to present a no-confidence motion against DMK Mayor PM Saravanan, citing grievances and corruption allegations. The dissenting councillors, who had previously submitted removal requests to Chief Minister MK Stalin, intensified their protests with public posters accusing the mayor of corruption and sit-in demonstrations, leading to the expulsion of three councillors from the DMK.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.