The panchayat president of suburban Melamadai, belonging to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and his associates were seriously injured in a bomb attack near the district collectorate in Madurai late on Monday night, police said on Tuesday.

Police said Siddik, elected president in the recent civic poll, and four others, including a councillor and DMK youth wing functionaries, were proceeding in a car when a four-member gang waylaid them in two wheelers and hurled country bombs and attacked them with crude weapons.

While they had a miraculous escape from the bombs, they sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the nearby Government Rajaji Hospital.

The gang members fled the scene immediately. Pre-election rivalry was believed to be the reason behind the murderous attack, police said adding, that top police officials rushed to the spot.

Police have identified three of the gang members.

Besides registering a case, the police have launched a hunt to nab the culprits.