In Tamil Nadu, in yesterday's indirect elections for the urban civic body chief and deputy chief posts, the ruling DMK rebel candidates in some places trounced the official nominees of their own party and of the alliance partners. It has led the party president and the state chief minister MK Stalin to issue a strongly-worded statement, asking the rebel cadres to step down from the posts immediately.<br />''<br />''The ruling alliance partners including the CPI (M) and the VCK have made open statements decrying the DMK rebels' actions, who have asked the DMK to do justice for them.<br />''<br />''In another development, the DMK has removed the party's Kanyakumari East Secretary from the post. The action comes in the wake of the DMK candidate in the mayoral election for the Nagercoil Municipal Corporation getting four votes less than the collective strength of the party and its allies.<br />''<br />''The four votes went in favour of the BJP. However, the DMK candidate won the mayoral post with a tender majority. Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district is the only municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu that saw an election for the mayor post. All the other 20 mayors were elected unopposed.<br />''<br />''Similarly, the principal opposition AIADMK has expelled some of its rebel cadres for anti-party activities in defiance of the party leadership's directives in the elections.<br />