Maradu municipality, known for never ending power struggles, has yet again lived up to its dubious reputation as the council meeting on Wednesday descended into utter chaos, leaving Acting Chairman Abdul Jabbar Pappana and LDF parliamentary party leader K.A. Devassy in hospital.
It all started with a delay in convening the council meeting, which was originally scheduled for 2 p.m., after Mr. Pappana did not turn up in time. Even as the Opposition LDF councillors left the council hall shouting slogans, Mr. Pappana, who was recently elected vice-chairman with the backing of the UDF, entered the hall through a different entrance and started the proceedings.
Learning that the meeting was under way, Opposition councillors returned to the hall. However, their demand to take up the agenda from the beginning was turned down by Mr. Pappana. Amid the din, the agenda was passed quickly.
Things came to a boil when the Opposition councillors led by Mr. Devassy stopped the Acting Chairman from leaving the hall. Heated exchange of words between LDF and UDF councillors ensued, which soon descended into an altercation.
Mr. Pappana and Mr. Devassy claimed to have suffered injuries in the mele and were admitted into a private hospital nearby by their party supporters.
Both the LDF and UDF staged separate protests in the evening. It was decided that black day will be observed within the municipal limits on Thursday.
In the 33-member council, the LDF and UDF have 15 members each while two of the three independent councillors have allied with the UDF, giving it a slender majority. The election of the Chairperson will be held soon since the incumbent Divya Anilkumar, backed by the LDF, stepped down last week.
