The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] is likely to lose control of the Kuttikole grama panchayat, falling under the Left stronghold of Bedakam, with the Congress all set to move a no-trust motion on Thursday against president N.T. Lakshmi accusing her of taking “unilateral” decisions in the local body.
UDF-BJP tie-up
Although the CPI(M) is the single-largest party with seven members in the 16-member governing body, the six-member UDF and BJP (3) had joined hands to put in place a BJP member to the post of vice-president besides sharing the post of the chairperson of the Welfare, Health and Education standing committees of the local body.
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The UDF is well on course on ousting Ms. Lakshmi to take control of the panchayat, where the Left party was known to have been enjoying traditional support in the past.
On paper, the Congress had “expelled” all the four members for extending support to the BJP for the vice president’s post.
However, C. Balan, CPI(M) Bedakam Area Committee secretary, addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, refuted the charges levelled by the Congress against Ms. Lakshmi and asserted that all the council’s decision were taken in “unanimous” manner over the last one year.
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Mr. Balan alleged that the UDF, which has a member from the RSP and a rebel Congress nominee in its fold, in fact had joined hands with the BJP to help the saffron party nominee to be chosen for the vice president’s post.