ERODE: A former AIADMK functionary has topped the DMK list of 18 ticket aspirants for the Erode Corporation mayor post, informed party sources told Express. Ellapalayam Sivakumar, the list topper, had started his political career as panchayat president in his native Ellapalayam village. He held Erode panchayat union chairman post in the 2001-06 period. Before the 2001 Assembly elections, Sivakumar became the AIADMK’s south district secretary. Later, he was appointed as south district secretary of Jayalalithaa Peravai also. Sivakumar was fielded in Erode segment against former minister N K K P Raja during the 2006 Assembly polls, but faced defeat. When former minister and senior politician S Muthusamy quit the AIADMK last year, Sivakumar followed suit.Subsequently, Sivakumar and followers joined the DMK in the presence of former deputy chief minister M K Stalin in Tiruchy, but was not assigned any particular post in the party. So, he has now applied for the mayor post. As he is known to all in Erode, he is likely to have an upper hand over others, the party sources felt.Sources, however, indicated that no seat would be given to present Mayor and DMK Town Secretary Kumar Murugesh as a case of land grab was registered against him recently. Also, he is not in the good books of the district secretary, N K K P Raja, due to his role in nurturing a faction.The other key contenders for the mayor’s post are Chellaponni Manoharan, daughter of former municipal chairman late S Arangarajan and DMK district deputy secretary, and Geetha, the present corporation councillor and one of the two women aspirants. She has held this post for three consecutive terms.Compared to the AIADMK’s mayoral candidate Malliga Paramasivam, Sivakumar is known to many because of his previous political track record, the party sources said. “There are enough number of qualified persons in the party to contest. The high command will choose from them,” said N K K P Raja when contacted.
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