For DMK, the landslide victory in the recently-held urban local body polls has on one hand brought an overwhelming wave of support for the party and on the other hand, the wave hit the party with a slew of troubling events in the race between the fellow party candidates in winning the leadership to run the local bodies. 

In one such event, DMK has witnessed resort politics where around 20 councillors were taken to a resort in Puducherry to ensure that they won't vote against the rival candidate, who is also from the DMK.  According to our sources, the mayoral race in Cuddalore has witnessed a tight run among two DMK women who were backed by a section of councillors. Cuddalore was recently upgraded from municipality to municipal corporation and it was in the state that whoever wins the race will become the first Mayor of Cuddalore. 

Cuddalore Corporation has 45 wards and the DMK-led alliance had bagged 34 wards. The DMK had alone won in 27 wards, having a clear majority to elect the Mayor. The DMK allied parties VCK and Tamizhaga Vazhurimai Katchi (TVK) had won three wards each while the Congress had won in one ward. Amid having a clear sweep, the intra-party tussle had begun after the announcement of the mayoral candidate. 

The DMK had fielded R Sundari, wife of the party's town secretary Raja, as its candidate for Mayor. The party has allotted the Deputy Mayor post to the VCK, which nominated Thamaraiselvan for the post. The reports say that Raja is the confidante of Minister MRK Panneerselvam. However, DMK's district treasurer Gunasekaran's wife Geetha was also aiming for the mayoral post. 

As the race between two women came to light, the DMK had reiterated its candidature for Sundari and a section of councillors had protested against Sundari after which they were taken to a resort in Puducherry. The camp of Raja has taken the efforts to keep the dissent councillors under its watch to support Sundari, who is the official mayoral candidate of the party. 

The mayoral election was held on Friday - March 4 and Sundari had arrived at the corporation office to take charge as the first Mayor of Cuddalore. However, in place of 45 councillors, the hall had seen the assembly of only 12 councillors. However, later a section of councillors had come for the election and Sundari and Geetha had filed their nominations. Of 45 councillors, only 32 had attended and of them, 19 councillors had supported Sundari and with the support, Sundari has taken charge as Cuddalore Mayor and the race has finally come to an end.