Women vie in Tiruchy, men keen in Erode

TIRUCHY: Confident of sweeping the civic polls, a large number of AIADMK cadre here, have filed applications for a party ticket. Interestingly as many as 50 cadre, including over 15 women, sought for Mayoral post in the city as the party had completed receiving applications on Sunday.Tiruchy Mayor post, which was reserved for women in the just completed term, had been declared as general category. Still, over 15 women, including district joint secretaries - Valarmathi and Uma, District Women Wing Secretary Tamilarasi and former executive member Malavizhi had applied for the post.Meanwhile, party functionaries, who could not get a ticket in the Assembly election, had also tried their luck. Among them the party’s District Presidium Vellamandi Natarajan, District Jaya Peravai secretary J Srinivasan, District deputy secretary Arul Jothi, ex-MLA Rathnavel and District Minority Wing president Sirajudeen submitted their applications for the Mayor candidature. Since the last date (on Sunday), as many as 850 applications for the 60 ward corporation were submitted among them 40 per cent were women aspirants, MLA and urban district secretary R Manoharan, told Express. Party sources hinted that women aspirants might be given priority this time. ErodeWhile the AIADMK’s schedule of collecting applications from aspiring candidates for local body polls ended on Sunday, it had come to light that there was a stiff competition among party functionaries to get the coveted Erode Mayors post.After the Erode municipality was upgraded into corporation on Jan 1, 2008, the urban body would get its full-fledged status only after the poll process and annexation of 11 other local bodies with it. Besides, this would be the first time that a Mayor would be elected by the voters directly.Popular among the functionaries who have applied for the post are present party secretaries of Erode town R Manoharan, Surampatti municipality Jagadeesan, Kasipalayam Eswaramurthy, Veerappanchathram Kesavamurthy, Periyasemur Sakthi, besides ex-MLA and Erode east secretary KS Thennarasu and joint secretary VKK Duraisamy.Besides, Erode city district MGR Mandram secretary KC Palanisamy and Women’s wing secretary Malliga Paramasivam also applied.