THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Chandran (52), BJP councillor of Pappanamcode, died after receiving an electric shock from an iron box on Monday morning. The incident happened at 6:30 am, while he was ironing his cloths. Though the locals rushed him to the nearby private hospital at Killipalam, he could not be saved. Later the body was taken to the Medical College hospital for post mortem. His body was kept at the Corporation for the councillors and public to pay homage. BJP-leader and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, who is camping in the state, paid homage to the councillor at the Corporation in the evening. The body was kept at his house- Soudha Nivas Vivek Nagar in Kaimanam. It was then laid to rest in the night at Shantikavadam at Thycaud. Chandran entered political arena as a RSS member and became a councillor in the present council. He was a bachelor and was the district secretary of BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha. Councillors remembered him as person who actively took part in the debates. Even in the last council meeting on April 8 he spoke about the faulty streetlights.
By-election on the Cards
Death of the councillor will result in declaration of a by-election. Corporation will inform the State Election Commissioner of the vacancy on Tuesday, said M Nizarudeen, secretary. As per rules, the vacancy needs to be filled in six months. “It is the SEC who has to take a decision,” said the secretary. But with the Assembly Election slated on May 16, it is unlikely that a by-election be declared before that. At present BJP has a strength of 34 councillors in the council of 100. The ruling LDF has 42 members. It will be the second by-election to be declared in corporation. The first one was necessitated by the death of Vazhottukonam councillor and LDF member, Moonnammoodu Vikraman who died of a paralytic stroke in December. The by-election was held in less than three months and LDF reclaimed the ward with Rani Vikraman, wife of Vikraman, winning by a comfortable margin. She was later inducted into the Development Standing Committee.
Corporation will inform the State Election Commissioner of the vacancy on Tuesday. As per rules, the vacancy needs to be filled in six months. It is the SEC who has to take a decision - M Nizarudeen, Corporation secretary