KOTTAYAM: Pushing the ruling UDF coalition in the Pala municipality to the brink of collapse, six Congress councillors submitted a letter to the front’s leadership on Thursday expressing loss of trust in the chairperson, Diya Pulikkakandam, a member of the independent group led by the Pulikkakandam family.
The signatories to the letter include Biju Mathews, Lissikutty Mathew, Riya Cheeramkuzhy, Tony Thaiparambil, Rajith Prakash and Congress rebel and vice-chairperson Maya Rahul. Congress councillor Sebastian Panakkal didn’t sign saying he would stand by the decision of the party leadership.
The letter alleged that the Congress had repeatedly suffered humiliation at the hands of the independent collective and that neither the party’s councillors nor the standing committee chairpersons representing it have been given a meaningful role in the municipality’s administration. Still, Congress councillors refrained from raising objections in the interest of ensuring the UDF’s victory in Pala and strengthening the front in the state, said the letter.
In a related development, the Congress councillors also elected Tony as the Congress parliamentary party leader.
At present, the UDF has a wafer-thin majority in the 26-member council. The front, which has 10 members comprising six Congress councillors, three from Kerala Congress (Joseph) and one from the Kerala Democratic Party (KDP), managed to retain control of the municipality with the support of the three-member independent collective and a Congress rebel.
Though there were speculations that the independent collective may retain power with the backing of the LDF if the Congress withdraws support, KC(M) on Thursday categorically said the Left front will not make any attempt to topple the UDF administration.
The KC(M) district leadership said it will not enter into any agreement with the independent group led by the Pulikkakandam family, nor will it offer or accept their support in Pala municipality.
“KC(M) is the largest single party in Pala municipality with 10 members. Despite overtures from the independent front following the local body elections, we have chosen to remain in the opposition. KC(M) is committed to principled politics and has consistently adhered to the path of integrity, a stance that remains unchanged,” said Lopez Mathew, KC(M) district president. Meanwhile, the UDF local leadership has taken steps to address the tensions between Congress and independent councillors. A meeting of UDF councillors was convened at the residence of Pala MLA Mani C Kappen on Thursday. The discussions were led by KC(Joseph) leader K Francis George MP, DCC vice president Biju Punnathanam, general secretary Satheesh Chollani and other leaders.
Warning letter
Congress had repeatedly suffered humiliation at the hands of the independent collective, says letter