TN this Week: Urban Local Body Leaders Elected, DMK Gets Easy Majority

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which emerged victorious in the recently concluded urban local body election (ULB), bagged a massive majority in the indirect elections to the heads of the ULBs.

Going against the party and alliance pact, some DMK members had contested against alliance party members in the indirect elections to heads of the urban local bodies.

In a surprise move, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and President of the DMK MK Stalin on March 4 asked his partymen who have won in posts allotted to alliance partners to step down immediately. He said the failure to do so will result in the dismissal of the basic membership of the party.

As Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine, more than 1,000 students from Tamil Nadu are awaiting their evacuation from countries bordering the war-torn region. To expedite their evacuation from Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia the state government on March 3 formed a special team.

State health minister Ma Subramanian said the state has administered over 10 crore vaccine doses against COVID-19 till March 4. He said a total of 91.54 per cent of the eligible population have received the first dose while 72.62 per cent the second in Tamil Nadu.

Moreover, as the daily COVID-19 cases further reduced this week, the state allowed more relaxations to pandemic restrictions.

HEADS OF URBAN LOCAL BODIES ELECTED

Following the victory in the recently held local body polls, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) bagged the majority in the indirect elections to the heads of the urban local body posts held on March 4.

DMK won 20 out of 21 mayors for municipal corporations and allocated Kumbakonam mayor to its ally, Congress.

Plenty of youth, first-timers and educated candidates were promoted by the DMK to these posts. Read more

AIADMK POLL DEBACLE

The latest poll debacle of the AIADMK has reignited discussions of bringing back expelled party general secretary VK Sasikala to the party.

The AIADMK functionaries in the Theni district unanimously passed a resolution to include Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran back into the party. This took place in the meeting to “unite the party” held in party coordinator O Panneerselvam’s residence in the Theni district on 2 March.

On March 3, the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp reached out to Panneerselvam to hold back the decision.

WORKERS, FARMERS OPPOSE UNION BUDGET

Opposing the anti-people union budget, the Centre for Indian Trade Union, All Indian Kisan Sabha, and All India Agriculture Workers Union held protests in district headquarters across the state.

Protest against union budget in Nagapattinam. Image courtesy: CITU, Tamil Nadu.

The protesting workers, farmers and agriculture workers demanded the withdrawal of large loan waivers to big corporates. They also condemned the heavy tax burdens on the poor and working people of the country.

They claimed that the goods and services tax (GST) is robbing small businesses and demanded petroleum products to be brought within the GST limit.

PDS WORKERS PROTEST

Workers of the public distribution system (PDS) cooperative shops in many districts in the state held protests on March 4 with a charter of eleven demands.

PDS workers protest in Theni. Image courtesy: CITU, Tamil Nadu.

They primarily demanded a pay rise on a scale with other government employees, and as per the High Court ruling to regularise workers who are temporary.

They also urged the state to not hold workers liable for substandard goods sold in ration shops. Moreover, they asked the government to regulate or eliminate the fingerprint system in ration shops.

GOVT DOCTORS WENT ON PROTEST

Government doctors in Tamil Nadu sat on a token protest fast on March 3 for several demands. It included proper relief for the families of government doctors who died of COVID-19. They are also demanding pay band 4 for those who served for 12 years.

The doctors have said that if the government does not respond to their demands they will intensify the agitation.

200+ LUXURY CLUB WORKERS DENIED WORK

Two hundred-odd workers of the 135-year-old elite Madras Gymkhana Club have been denied work for nearly a month now for raising workers’ issues.

The workers rallied to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in Chennai on March 2 and submitted a memorandum addressing the Chief Minister to take appropriate action against the club administration.