Coimbatore: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has nominated R Ranhanayaki as its candidate for the mayoral election of Coimbatore Corporation, scheduled to be held on August 6.
Ranhanayaki, currently the councillor for Ward 29, was selected during a meeting chaired by senior party leaders and ministers KN Nehru and S Muthusamy.
The election was necessitated by the resignation of A Kalpana, the former Mayor of Coimbatore, who stepped down amid internal party dissent. Kalpana, who was elected as Coimbatore’s first woman Mayor in 2022 after the DMK alliance secured a sweeping victory in the urban local body elections, had faced growing opposition from within the party. Concerns were raised by fellow DMK councillors regarding her alleged attitude towards ward members and officials, prompting the party leadership to initiate an inquiry that eventually led to her resignation.
Ranhanayaki’s nomination follows a similar situation in Tirunelveli Corporation, where the DMK also recently replaced its mayoral candidate due to internal disputes. In contrast, the party managed internal strife in Kancheepuram by relocating disgruntled councillors to a resort in Mahabalipuram, effectively averting a no-confidence motion against the current Mayor.
As the new candidate, Ranhanayaki is expected to carry forward the party’s agenda in Coimbatore, a key urban center in Tamil Nadu.