When uncertainty loomed large over whether the seat-sharing dispute within the Congress for the 34 divisions of Kollam Corporation will be settled on Wednesday, close to 70 persons from the party with the concurrence from their respective group leaders filed nominations.
This caused a Congress crush at the District Industries Office complex to file nominations.
Though by 4 p.m. it was settled, with the ‘A’ group led by DCC president V. Sathyaseelan finally agreeing to accept the settlement figure of 14 divisions, the second line leaders and rank and file of the party along with other United Democratic Front (UDF) constituents are highly upset over the loss of three precious days due to the unjustified intransigence of Mr. Sathyaseelan.
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Out of the 55 divisions in the city, the Congress is contesting from 34. But serious dispute cropped up between Congress groups over seat-sharing.
More than four days went for talks to settle the dispute, and on Monday group leaders even came to fisticuffs. Though many ‘A’ group leaders had on Monday itself expressed satisfaction over the figure of 14 proposed by the ‘I’ group, Mr. Sathyaseelan refused to budge from a 50-50 settlement.
On Wednesday morning, KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran intervened by warning Mr. Sathyaseelan. The ad hoc committee soon afterwards met at Mr. Sathyaseelan’s daughter’s house in the city and agreed to the 14-20 settlement.
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Mr. Sathyaseelan, later, released the names of 31 candidates adding that the decision on three divisions had been left to the KPCC leadership.
The others who had filed nominations will be asked to withdraw.
Meanwhile, trouble cropped up in the Congress in a different form with INTUC leader K. Suresh Babu filing his nomination from the Kannimel division.
Mr. Babu’s name did not figure in the list released by Mr. Sathyaseelan. A.K. Hafeez being fielded by the Congress from Thamarakulam is being projected as the UDF’s mayoral candidate.