KOCHI: The Ernakulam South ward in Kochi Corporation may witness a second by-election as the state BJP leadership has decided to approach the state election commission (SEC) to seek the disqualification of Councillor Padmaja S Menon for violating the party whip. Padmaja has been removed from the position of national secretary of Mahila Morcha, the women’s wing of BJP, based on the recommendation of the BJP state committee. BJP state president K Surendran informed the state committee meeting held on Wednesday about the action taken by Mahila Morcha.
According to the anti-defection law, an elected member will be disqualified if they violate the party whip. The BJP Ernakulam district president will approach the SEC to seek her disqualification, and she will also be suspended from the primary membership of the party.
Padmaja had supported the no-confidence motion brought by the UDF against Kochi Corporation education standing committee chairman V A Sreejith on April 26. While Padmaja, who was sent to Karnataka for an election campaign, had informed the BJP Ernakulam district committee that she would return only on May 3, she arrived in Kochi on April 26 and voted in favour of the UDF. It is learned that although the BJP delivered the party whip to her house, she refused to accept it.
Padmaja, the daughter of trade union leader S C S Menon, was the college union chairperson of the KSU. She joined the BJP in 2014 and contested the Assembly election from the Ernakulam seat in 2021. She was elected to the Kochi Corporation in the by-election held on May 18, 2022, following the death of BJP councillor Mini R Menon.
The BJP has taken a strong stance against elected members who violate the party whip. Since 2020, the party has suspended and moved for the disqualification of 14 elected members across the state. The party has initiated action against four elected representatives in Palakkad district, three each in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Alappuzha districts, and one member of Chalakudy municipality for violating the whip. Similar action will be taken against Padmaja, according to a senior leader.