In Jayalalithaa's land, cities prefer lady mayors

Till last month P Karthiyayini was a Ph D scholar at Vellore Institute of Technology doing a research in science.

But a phone call from Poes Garden, residence of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, pitch forked her into the battle for the mayor’s post of Vellore municipal corporation. Karthiyayini has now done her mentor proud by winning the polls in style.

This is not the story limited to Vellore. But six of the 10 municipal corporations in Tamil Nadu have elected women mayors, thanks to Jayalalithaa.  All the 10 corporations have elected AIADMK mayors.

“Jayalalithaa has walked the talk. While campaigning for the assembly elections in April, she promised the women voters that they would get their due share in the local body elections and asked them to be prepared to take major responsibilities,” said Prof Manimeghalai, head, department of social sciences, Bharathidasan University, Trichy.

Chiefs of most of the municipalities and town panchayats in the state are also women now.

“Cities like New York, Paris, London are yet to elect women mayors. Trichy, Vellore, Tirunelveli and Erode may not match the stature of Kolkata and Mumbai. But the fact is that voters in these municipal corporations have preferred woman mayors,” Manimeghalai said.

“The AIADMK had fielded more than fifty per cent women candidates for the posts of mayors, municipal and panchayat chiefs. The local body chiefs were directly elected by the people. The women voted for the AIADMK en mass,” said Dr A Puratchikody, Anna University, Trichy.

According to Puratchikody, most of the women candidates of AIADMK were first timers. “This is interesting. Their real test starts now and if they deliver what they promised, it will be a victory for women,” she said.

More than politics, Karthiyayini focused on developmental issues. “My mission is to make Vellore green and beautiful. Potable water to all, smoothening traffic flow and building flyovers to bring down traffic snarls are my top priorities,” the mayor-elect said.