In a significant development, 38 DMK councillors from the Tirunelveli corporation have formally petitioned Commissioner Shubham Dnyandeorao Thakare, urging him to present a no-confidence motion against their party mayor, PM Saravanan. The councillors have been actively protesting against Mayor Saravanan for several months, citing grievances and corruption allegations. Before this, they had submitted requests for the mayor’s removal to Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with ministers KN Nehru, Durai Murugan, and Thangam Thennarasu.
Public posters accusing Saravanan of corruption were displayed across the city by the dissenting DMK councillors, who also shared audio and video clips on social media. Allegations arose that the councillors boycotted a council meeting, claiming that Mayor Saravanan failed to distribute the purported “kickbacks” received from contractors among them.
Approximately 20 councillors engaged in a sit-in protest during a recent grievance meeting, emphasizing that the mayor neglected issues within their respective wards. In response to these actions, the DMK headquarters expelled three councillors and a woman councillor’s husband from the party.
AIADMK district secretary Thachai Ganesaraja, addressing the media in a press conference, revealed that four AIADMK councillors would support the DMK councillors’ no-confidence motion if it is presented. Ganesaraja asserted that the commissioner must introduce the motion within a month, highlighting that the core issue revolves around the alleged distribution of kickbacks from contractors. The corporation council comprises a total of 55 councillors, with 51 affiliated with the DMK and its allies.
Following a meeting on 27 December 2023 to discuss and vote on a resolution of no confidence that has been put forth by the members of the Council against the President of the Council, it was decided that on 12 January 2024, a no-confidence motion will be moved against Tirunelveli Corporation’s DMK Mayor, P M Saravanan.
Tirunelveli corporation DMK Mayor P M Saravanan is to face no confidence motion, moved by his own party councillors, on January 12, 2024 https://t.co/tYDHjryUsJ pic.twitter.com/hC1dFBh8nb
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) December 29, 2023
(with inputs from The New Indian Express)
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