THE DMK-led Secular Progressive Front(SPF) swept in the ‘local bodies elections’(city and town governments) held on February 19, which was held after a gap of 10 years in the state. The SPF has secured a majority in all the 21 municipal corporations in the state. Likewise, the DMK-led front has secured more than 70 per cent of seats in the municipalities and town panchayats in the state. 

As reported earlier, in alliance with DMK, the CPI(M) contested 66 seats in municipal corporations of which it won 24. In municipalities, it won 41 seats out of 169 contested, and in town panchayats, it has won 101 seats out of 374 it contested. It is to be noted that among the winners from CPI(M), the composition of women is 50 per cent.

Through this election, the CPI(M) will have representatives in 12 out of 21 municipal corporations as well as municipalities and town panchayats in 21 districts of the state. In Kovilpatti municipality the CPI(M) won all the five seats it contested. Its big show was in Kanyakumari district where it has got 15 seats in municipalities of which 10 are women and 42 seats in town panchayats of which 22 are women.

The performance of the Secular Progressive Front was also impressive across the state and another notable feature of this election is the considerable number of women in the fray as 50 per cent of seats were reserved for them. During the campaign, the women were seen in large numbers, notably young girls who are getting interested in political activities for the first time.

The AIADMK slid its alliance with BJP for the local bodies' elections. Despite its overwhelming money power and hired manpower it was able to secure only one seat in Chennai Municipal Corporation and 308 seats in town panchayats across the state of which the Kanyakumari district alone accounts for about 200 seats where the division of votes gave them an edge. It has got 1.76 per cent of vote share in 2011 local bodies’ election and now with all the tom-tom of Modi charisma, money power and media built-up, it was able to increase only to 2.4 per cent. It could not open its account in 10 districts of the state.

Another notable feature is that the DMK-led secular front was able to snatch the Kongu belt from the clutches of AIADMK where it had failed to win during the last assembly election. Overall, the massive victory of the Secular Progressive Front has given hope that with proper remedial measures to the people and constant vigil on the communal forces preventing them from vitiating the political atmosphere, the BJP and its cohorts can be wiped out from the state.