Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Stalin may prefer Mayorship

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM April 8. The DMK youth wing leader, M.K. Stalin, may be inclined to retain Chennai Mayorship if the State Government brings in legislation to bar him from holding two elected posts.

Though he keeps saying he will abide by the high command decision, it appears Mr. Stalin is in no mood to succumb to Government ``pressures'' to ``quit as Mayor'', going by his speech at a private function organised by a party office bearer at Thirukkuvalai on Sunday.

Referring to a statement made by the former Minister, Ko.Si. Mani at the meeting, that Mr. Stalin had the right to continue as Mayor as he was voted to power by the electors, the DMK youth wing leader said the Government was trying to subvert the people's mandate by amending the legislation.

``The Chief Minister neither gave an assurance that violation of traditions in the Chennai Corporation would be checked, nor did she accuse me of making unnecessary remarks on the floor of the Assembly. But she declared that the civic bodies acts would soon be amended in such a way as to bar a person from being an MLA and a local body representative simultaneously,'' he said. Later talking to reporters, Mr. Stalin said that by revoking some provisions of the Municipal Corporations Acts, enacted in 1997, the Government was trying to deprive the elected councils and Mayors of autonomy available to them.

While the Prime Minister, the Union Minister for Rural Development and even the main Opposition party at the Centre were calling for more devolution of powers to local bodies, it was ludicrous that the Tamil Nadu government was hell-bent on reducing their importance.

``Let them bring in the amendment first'' was his reply when he was asked which post he would like to retain after the legislation was amended.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Get us better deal, Ponnaiyan tells DMK
• A budget for `overall development'
• Look ahead, stop blaming DMK Govt.: Anbazhagan
• Stalin may prefer Mayorship
• Fire destroys varsity lab
• 16 die in bus smash near Tiruchi
• Traders divided over bandh
• Kiran Bedi for holistic approach to prison reforms
• Bone found in Silent Valley
• Mullaiperiyar case: SC allows transfer of petitions
• Strange noise doesn't mean bugging, CM tells SRB

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu