The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is leading in Vellore, Gudiyatham, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur and Jolarpet in the urban local bodies election. R Ganga, 49, a transperson fielded by the DMK, won in ward 37 in Vellore Corporation.
Counting of votes began at 8 a.m on Tuesday in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts where elections for 42 urban local bodies consisting 16 municipalities, 25 town panchayats and one Corporation (Vellore City Corporation) with a total of 905 wards were held on Saturday. A total of 16.29 lakh voters in these four districts will decide the fate of 3,898 candidates, contesting in 905 wards.
From the first round, the DMK has been leading in many wards in Vellore Corporation, which has 60 wards. The main opposition party, the AIADMK, is yet to win a ward in the Corporation.
Similar is the situation in major municipalities and town panchayats in Vellore district. In the Gudiyatham, of the 25 wards, 16 were won by the DMK; 5 by the AIADMK and one by the Congress.
The scene in Odugathur town panchayat along Jawadhu Hills was no different. Here too, the DMK won 13 of the 15 wards . The AIADMK won two wards (13 & 15). The newly created Ranipet district also saw the DMK leading in many town panchayats like Thakkolam (near Arakkonam). The DMK won 7 wards, the AIADMK 6 wards and the PMK 1 ward.
In Thimiri town panchayat near Arcot, nine wards were won by the DMK, followed by the AIADMK (2 wards) and independents (3 wards). In Tirupattur district, the DMK was leading in five wards (1-5) in Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi and Jolarpet municipalities. In Ambur, the DMK was leading in three wards (1,3,5) with the PMK in ward 2.
In Tiruvannamalai district, the DMK has won in 11 of the total 15 wards in Polur town panchayat. The party also led in major towns like Tiruvannamalai, Arani and Vandavasi municipalities in the district.
