The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) lost the chairperson post of the town planning standing committee of the Kochi Corporation after a United Democratic Front (UDF)-sponsored no-confidence motion against the chairperson was passed on Monday.
The no-confidence motion against chairperson J. Sanilmon, who won the civic body election as a UDF rebel candidate, was passed with the support of M.H.M. Ashraf, a CPI(M) councillor who later parted ways with the organisation. Mr. Ashraf distanced himself from the party and did not renew his membership in protest against the party decision to make Mr. Sanilmon the chairperson, overlooking his claim for the post.
The LDF was reduced to four members in the nine-member town planning committee following the death of K.K. Sivan, the CPI(M) councillor who represented the Gandhi Nagar Division.
The no-confidence motion was passed with Mr. Ashraf joining hands with the four members of the UDF in the committee to vote against Mr. Sanilmon. The LDF members kept off the meeting convened to consider the no-confidence motion following a whip issued by the front. Though Mr. Ashraf was also issued the whip, he ignored it to vote against Mr. Sanilmon.
Mr. Ashraf is likely to contest as the new chairperson of the town planning committee with the support of the UDF members.
According to LDF leaders, Mr. Ashraf continued to be the parliamentary party member of the LDF though he had severed ties with the CPI(M). Hence, the whip issued by the LDF was binding on him. Violating the whip issued by the front would lead to the invoking of provisions of the anti-defection law against Mr. Ashraf, they said. If disqualified, he cannot contest elections for the next six years.
