7 months ago
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After Indrani Ponvasanth resigned arsenic Madurai Mayor connected Wednesday (October 15, 2025) citing ‘health’ grounds, an eerie soundlessness fell among the DMK functionaries successful the region.
Speaking to The Hindu successful Madurai connected Thursday (October 16), immoderate enactment leaders and sympathisers said that DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was “thoroughly disgusted” by caller events and had expressed his displeasure implicit the party’s functioning during a caller nerkaanal (one-on-one interview) held successful Chennai.
Allegations of intra-party feuds, groupism, corruption, and interference with officials and contractors had irked the precocious bid to specified an grade that, according to 1 enactment functionary, Mr. Stalin was visibly upset implicit caller charges of meddling with spot taxation and siphoning disconnected respective lakhs from the Corporation.
A erstwhile DMK MLA, quoting the Chief Minister, said that “the authorities has been doing truthful overmuch bully for the people. We are moving tirelessly. But you radical (DMK functionaries) successful Madurai person damaged the representation truthful overmuch that it is frustrating...”
Damage control
In a bid to prevention look for the enactment and arsenic a harm power measure, Mr. Stalin announced the resignation of the 5 zonal chairpersons and 2 lasting committee chairmen successful the Madurai Corporation astir July. Since then, enactment functionaries and councillors person been connected edge, uncertain astir who mightiness beryllium the adjacent to look the axe. The monthly assembly meetings person besides witnessed unfastened accusations.
While supporters of the Mayor attempted to pacify opponents some wrong and extracurricular the DMK, a cardinal state — the CPI(M) — levelled corruption allegations against the DMK, delivering an unexpected blow. Adding to the setback, Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan’s remark that the metropolis was “stinking” according to the nationalist ranking dealt a second, much nationalist blow.
Above all, the AIADMK, not wanting to miss the opportunity, demanded the resignation of the Mayor — a request that grew louder aft her hubby Pon Vasanth was arrested by the constabulary arsenic an accused. A fewer days ago, he was granted bail by the High Court Bench here.
Though DMK members claimed that the spot taxation scam probe should beryllium expanded to see the AIADMK, which had besides indulged successful akin practices during its regime, the contented was sidelined. Internal unit wrong the DMK led to calls for the Mayor to measurement down, which yet derailed efforts to impeach the AIADMK.
How parties chose Mayor candidates
In the past, the Mayors of Madurai ever had nonstop interaction with the respective enactment precocious commands; the rapport was personal. From the precocious Mayor Muthu to M. Patturajan and erstwhile Mayor C. Ramachandran, the leaders successful Chennai maintained nonstop connection with them. Whether it was astir administrative matters oregon enactment affairs, the precocious bid stayed successful adjacent touch.
When K. Kalimuthu was a Minister successful M.G.R.’s Cabinet, helium announced Mr. Muthu’s sanction astatine a gathering of councillors arsenic the prime of ‘Puratchi Thalaivar’ (as M.G.R. was known). Likewise, erstwhile M. Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, helium personally selected Mr. C.R. (as C. Ramachandran was known successful Madurai) arsenic the party’s campaigner for Mayor.
After Karunanidhi’s Madurai-based lad M.K. Alagiri became the powerfulness centre successful the confederate districts, helium began deciding the party’s Mayor candidate, with the precocious command’s approval. For instance, though determination were galore eligible contenders, Thenmozhi Gopinathan was cleared arsenic the Mayor of Madurai due to the fact that her information had Mr. Alagiri’s backing, and her hubby Gopinathan was a staunch protagonist of him.
From past on, the idiosyncratic interaction oregon rapport betwixt the precocious bid and the Mayor took a backmost seat, elder DMK leaders said.
In March 2022, though determination were plentifulness of contenders, Ms. Indrani’s sanction was cleared for the Mayor’s station successful Madurai aft Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan recommended her, arsenic her hubby Pon Vasanth was known to beryllium loyal to him. From time one, she maintained a debased illustration and spoke precise small to the media.
However, erstwhile the spot taxation scam surfaced, Mr. Thiaga Rajan was profoundly disappointed. Many cardinal leaders successful the enactment distanced themselves, and the request for Ms. Indrani’s resignation grew truthful beardown that the precocious bid had to intervene and motorboat a damage-control operation.
New face
With Assembly elections accelerated approaching, the DMK whitethorn not beryllium inclined to instantly regenerate Ms. Indrani with a caller face, arsenic that could make caller problems. For the clip being, officials whitethorn beryllium entrusted with the task of moving the administration, according to enactment functionaries.
