Dharmapuri gets its first woman chairman

DHARMAPURI: The Dharmapuri Municipality got its first woman chairman in the local body elections with All India Annna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgaam (AIADMK) candidate J Sumathi winning the post. After its 2001-06 stint in office, the AIADMK has once again captured Dharmapuri in the present polls.A total of 13 candidates, including Sumathi, M Kandasamy (DMK), Dr V Ilangovan (DMDK), S Punitha (PMK), M P Senthilkumar (MDMK), K Mohan (Congress), K Prabaharan (BJP), DMK rebel candidate V Murugesan and five Independents contested for the post. Sumathi polled 12,823 votes. Kandasamy stood second polling 9,164 votes, while Ilangovan finished third with 3,338 votes.The counting of votes was held at the Government ITI premises in Kadahathur village in the presence of Returning Officer Jagadeswari. Of the 44,922 total voters in 33 wards, 34,285 exercised their franchise.The winning candidate Sumathi received a certificate of election from the returning officer.  DMK rebel candidate and former municipal chairman Murugesan secured 2,941 votes. All those who finished after DMK candidate Kandasamy lost their deposits.  DMK’s Consolation Prize at Palacode It was a consolation prize for the DMK at Palacode in Dharmapuri. Of the 10 town panchayat president posts, the party managed to win only at B Mallapuram. On the other hand, the AIADMK captured seven while the PMK got one.  Independent candidate M Mahendran won the president post in Palacode town panchayat.