Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation’s 36th Ward representative, K Chinnathai from the DMK, has formally communicated her intention to step down from his role as a Member of council in a letter addressed to the Mayor. In her correspondence dated on 23 April 2024, she highlighted caste-based discrimination prevalent in the management of drinking water distribution in her ward, attributing it to the privatization of the public water supply contract six months ago.
In a communication addressed to Mayor PM Saravanan, Chinnathai, belonging to the Arunthathiyar community, expressed her grievances, stating that she felt disrespected by corporation officials. She highlighted the disparity in drinking water provision to areas such as Koripallam and Periyar Nagar in ward 36, which she represents. According to her, collusion between officials and Councillors from upper castes led to irregular water supply, resulting in shortages in recent months. Despite reporting the issue to higher authorities, including a DMK MLA, the mayor, and the deputy mayor, no corrective measures were taken, leading to her disillusionment.
Chinnathai also noted that the situation worsened after the corporation outsourced water supply to an individual, exacerbating caste-based discrimination in the allocation of resources. She lamented the apathy of officials towards various essential services in her ward, such as sanitation, street lighting, and infrastructure maintenance, attributing it to caste bias. Her appeals to address the water shortage in Anna nagar were ignored, adding to her frustration. Feeling unable to effectively represent her constituents and citing instances of humiliation during the election campaign, she initially decided to resign, expressing regret to those who elected her.
However, upon reassurances from DMK leaders and corporation officials regarding improved water supply and development initiatives in her ward, Chinnathai decided to retract her resignation, at least for the time being.
Alleging caste-based discrimination in the supply of drinking water to her ward, Tirunelveli corporation DMK councillor K Chinnathai who belongs to Arunthathiyar community wrote a resignation letter to the mayor P M Saravanan. However, she later withdrew her decision to resign. pic.twitter.com/CCLIHwHpc1
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) April 23, 2024
It’s worth noting that a M Indra a DMK councilor from the 7th ward had previously submitted a resignation letter to the commissioner, although it was not accepted due to the absence of a signature.
It seems like there’s quite a bit of political turmoil in Tirunelveli City Corporation, especially among the DMK councillors. It’s unfortunate that developmental works in Ward 7 haven’t progressed despite the complaints raised by councillor M Indra and her husband. The fact that even after escalating the issue to the mayor, MLA, and in-charge minister, there hasn’t been much improvement is concerning.
The power dynamics within the DMK council also appear to be complicated, with councillors expressing dissatisfaction with Mayor P M Saravanan and even bringing a no-confidence motion against him. However, the motion failed due to various factors, including the councillors being housed in hotels prior to the vote.
There appears to be significant dissatisfaction and conflict within the council, highlighting the importance of addressing the issues raised by councillors such as M Indra. It’s imperative for the authorities to respond to these concerns in order to facilitate effective governance and foster development within the city.
This is not the first time DMK members especially councillors are expressing displeasure at their party publicly or handing over resignation.
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.
Ten DMK councillors from Cuddalore district planned a hunger strike on 31 January 2024, citing Mayor Sundari Rajan’s failure to provide essential ward development facilities. Despite repeated appeals to the DMK government, no action has been taken. The strike, set at the municipality office’s Gandhi statue, aims to draw attention to their grievances. The councillors warn of resignation if their demands remain unmet, a significant move as the Mayor is also from the DMK. They urge prompt action, labeling the strike as a final resort for addressing their concerns.
(with inputs from TNIE)
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