A new chapter was added to the endless power struggle at Maradu municipality with the reigning chairperson Divya Anilkumar, Left Democratic Front (LDF)-backed Independent, getting ousted in a no-confidence motion moved by the United Democratic Front (UDF) on Tuesday.
Decks have now been cleared for the UDF to reclaim the post of chairperson after ceding it to the LDF a year ago. UDF’s chairperson Ajitha Nandakumar had put in her papers on May 27 last year after the LDF moved a no-confidence motion.
Earlier this month, the UDF had got Independent councillor and Congress rebel Abdul Jabbar Pappana elected as vice chairman after the incumbent Antony Asanparambil resigned following difference of opinion with local Congress leadership. Mr. Pappana will hold the charge of chairman till the post gets a new incumbent. Seventeen votes were cast in favour of the UDF as against 16 in favour of the LDF in a voting held on the no-confidence motion. The UDF successfully moved the motion with the support of two Independents who had earlier contested as Congress rebels.
The local body polls in 2015 had returned a hung house after the LDF and the UDF ended up with 15 councillors each in the 33-member council, with Independents getting elected to the remaining three seats. The LDF got Ms. Anilkumar elected as chairperson on the strength of the support of one of the Congress rebels, Boban Nedumparambil, after reaching an understanding with him in the wake of the resignation of Ms. Nandakumar,
But Mr. Nedumparambil switched sides alleging that the LDF reneged on the promise to make him vice chairman. Mr. Pappana had already pledged its allegiance to UDF by then.
Mr. Nedumparambil, however, didn’t benefit from the UDF association either as an understanding could not be reached with Mr. Pappana. This resulted in Congress leader Antony Asanparambil getting elected as vice-chairman.
Mr. Nedumparambil had to eventually settle as chairman of Public Works Standing Committee when Mr. Pappana got elected as vice chairman earlier this month based on an understanding that he will get the post after a year.
