Vellore

While the Congress had sought 15 panchayat union wards and 5 district panchayat wards they were given only 1 district panchayat ward and 4 panchayat union wards resulting in office-bearers of Cong stating that “they were converted into one more wing of the DMK.”

The DMK’s reasoning is that if Stalin pulls off a hat-trick by winning the local body polls after the Parliament and Assembly victories, his stock would shoot up. Not even the Dravidian patriarch M Karunanidhi was able to achieve it and “this view has resulted in DMK being unwilling to concede seats to the Congress,” sources said.

The Congress was represented by its Colachel and Velachery MLAs Prince and JMH Assan Moulana in the seat sharing talks while Vellore district secretary and Anaicut MLA AP Nandakumar represented the DMK.

With DMK general secretary Duraimurugan asking the Congress not to seek seats in his Katpadi constituency, Congressmen are witless on the next course of action.

“When we asked for Palamadhi union ward (Vellore PU), Nandakumar refused point blank as he knew we will field CK Devendran. Having already been Vellore union chairman twice, Nandakumar knew that if Devendran wins, we will demand that he be made PU chairman,” sources revealed.

The national party hopes that its members – as independents - winning village panchayat ward and presidents posts in sizeable numbers will improve its clout.

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