In Pollachi, 12 DMK councillors staged a sit-in protest at the Kottur Town Panchayat office, accusing their own party's panchayat president of corruption. The protest highlights internal conflicts within the ruling party.
Coimbatore: In an unusual turn of events, 12 DMK councillors staged a sit-in protest against their own party's town panchayat president at the Kottur Town Panchayat office near Pollachi on Wednesday. The councillors accused the president, Ramakrishnan, of various corrupt practices and demanded his removal from the post.
The Kottur Town Panchayat, which consists of 21 wards, witnessed dramatic scenes as the DMK councillors sat on the floor of the panchayat office, raising slogans against Ramakrishnan. The protesters alleged irregularities in contract allocations, tender processes, and improper submission of income and expenditure accounts.
According to the protesting councillors, they had previously lodged complaints with the Town Panchayat Executive Officer, Jesima Banu, regarding these issues. However, they claim that no action was taken, which prompted them to resort to this form of protest. The councillors demanded that the DMK leadership replace Ramakrishnan as the town panchayat president.
The situation has created a stir in local political circles, as it is rare for ruling party members to protest against their own leader so openly. The internal conflict within the DMK at the local level has raised questions about the party's unity and governance in the region.
As news of the protest spread, curious onlookers gathered outside the panchayat office. Local police were deployed to maintain order and prevent any potential escalation of the situation. The incident has drawn attention to the need for transparency and accountability in local governance, even within ruling party structures.