After a dramatic election of the chairperson and vice-chairman from two rival fronts six months ago, things have come to a boil yet again in Maradu municipality with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) serving notice for a no-confidence motion against Chairperson Ajitha Nandakumar of the United Democratic Front.
The Regional Joint Director for Urban Affairs has fixed a session for June 4 to take up the motion, which is likely to get passed as things stand now. In the house of 33, the LDF has the support of 17 councillors, including that of Congress rebel Boban Nedumparambil and a woman independent Divya Anilkumar, compared with 16 supporting the UDF.
While soliciting the support of the woman independent and the Congress rebel in getting their candidate elected as the vice-chairman, the LDF had promised them the posts of Chairperson and Vice-Chairman respectively. However, Municipal Vice-Chairman K.A. Devassy from the LDF was not forthcoming when asked whether he would relinquish the post to make way for Mr. Nedumparambil.
“The LDF Parliamentary Party had only decided to a move no-confidence motion against the Chairperson,” said Mr. Devassy. Mr. Nedumparambil was, however, confident that promises would be kept.
‘LDF power hungry’
Meanwhile, the Congress seems to be resigned to the fact that their Chairperson will have to step down. “She will resign before the no-confidence motion is taken up. The LDF’s move to support an apolitical independent to the Chairperson’s post, bypassing women councillors who had won on their ticket, has exposed what a power-hungry lot they are,” said Antony Asanparambil, president, Mandalam Congress Committee, Maradu.
He said that the formula of backing two independents to grab power was first offered to the UDF, which was not willing to do any compromise in the case of the post of the Chairperson. The Congress will retain the welfare standing committee, irrespective of the change in the Chairperson.
Things got off to a murky start in Maradu municipality soon after the local body polls in November when both the LDF and the UDF ended up with 15 members with the three independents, including two Congress rebels, calling the shots. In the election to the Chairman’s post, both the rebels backed the UDF candidate Ms. Nandakumar on the understanding that they would be given a split term as Vice-Chairman.
However, two Congress councillors opposed to the arrangement stayed away during the Vice-Chairman’s election, helping the LDF to wrap up the post. While one of the rebels, Jabbar Pappana, returned to the party fold since, Mr. Nedumparambil shifted allegiance to the LDF.
