The wrangling over capture of power in Mukkom Municipality, which threw up a tie between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), has finally ended, with the lone IUML rebel backing the Left parties in the civic body.
Mohammed Abdul Majeed, the IUML rebel candidate, who won from the Irattukulangara ward, said the LDF had accepted his suggestions for the development of his ward. The past five-year rule of the LDF was also satisfactory.
However, he maintained that he was still an IUML activist. His decision to return to the party depends on whether the IUML leadership quashed his suspension and accepted his suggestions, Mr. Majeed said.
He had secured 328 votes against his nearest opponent, the IUML’s Abdul Sheriff, who received 312. Other candidates — BJP’s E.P. Ravindran got 112 votes, while three Independents, A.P. Shalu (40), P. Sheriff Mohammed (2) and Mohammed Sheriff — drew a blank.
In the 33-member Mukkom Municipality, the LDF secured 12 seats and the UDF, 11.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) got one. The remaining nine members who contested as Independents belong to the UDF, LDF, and the NDA. In total, the LDF has the backing of 15 members, while the UDF has the support of 15 members and the NDA, one.
Blow to WPI
The IUML rebel’s decision has come as a blow to the Welfare Party of India (WPI), the political wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, which supported the UDF. Three WPI candidates too won in the municipality.
In the 2015 local body polls, the WPI, with three members, had supported the LDF, though the Left coalition had a majority with 18 members.
Then the UDF had 10 seats and the BJP and the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), one each.
This time, the UDF reached an electoral understanding with the WPI to capture the municipality.
It gained a seat, but the unexpected victory of an NDA member thwarted the calculations of both the rival fronts, especially the UDF.
Political uncertainty
For the LDF, more than ending the political uncertainty that lasted more than a week, it has helped the front retain the Mukkom Municipality.
The development comes when the front had lost Ramanattukkara and Payyoli municipalities to the UDF.
The UDF has retained Koduvally, while the LDF, Vadakara and Koyilandy, the other three out of the seven municipalities, in the district.
