During a special meeting held on Friday, October 17, 2025, the Madurai Corporation Council officially accepted Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth’s resignation. This crucial session marked a significant development in local politics.
The meeting, previously announced by the council secretary, was presided over by Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan and attended by Corporation Commissioner Chitra Vijayan.
As proceedings began, Ms. Indrani’s resignation letter was read aloud. Following a short deliberation, the Deputy Mayor declared that the council had unanimously approved the resignation before promptly adjourning the session.
Amidst the reading of the letter, AIADMK councillors, led by Solai M. Raja, rose to claim responsibility for the Mayor’s departure. This immediately led to a period of disorder as DMK members voiced their strong objections. Despite the brief chaos, the Deputy Mayor quickly brought the meeting to an end by announcing its adjournment.
Addressing reporters later, Mr. Solai Raja asserted that the AIADMK’s consistent accusations of corruption against DMK officials regarding property tax irregularities had exposed a significant financial loss to the public treasury. He hailed the Mayor’s resignation as a “moral victory” for the citizens of Madurai.
Raja further criticized the DMK, stating their failure to appoint a new Mayor demonstrated “irresponsibility and slackness.” He highlighted the current void in leadership, noting that five zonal chairpersons and two standing committee chairmen had also resigned. “The Corporation is now headless, with many elected DMK representatives facing corruption charges,” he stated. “With the Northeast monsoon already here, there’s no preparation, leaving our people at risk. This government must be removed promptly.”
Sit-in Protest Highlights Local Grievances
After the councillors and officials departed, AIADMK councillor Shanmugavalli initiated a sit-in protest. She voiced strong condemnation of the civic body’s negligent approach to addressing the persistent issues within her ward.
Refusing to vacate the premises, Shanmugavalli emphasized the dire situation faced by her constituents. With Deepavali approaching, residents were grappling with sewage overflowing onto the streets. “This problem remains unresolved, and I will not leave until it is fixed,” she declared to the media.
Her protest lasted approximately 30 minutes until senior officials and fellow party members intervened, providing assurances of swift action, which ultimately led her to conclude the demonstration.