KOCHI: A day after the UDF lost its majority and its vice-chairman in the Thrikkakkara municipal council after the LDF passed a no-confidence motion, a similar episode unfurled on Tuesday with UDF chairperson MT Omana being voted out.
The LDF won the no-confidence motion after Congress councillor Sheela Charu and UDF rebel TA Nazar extended their support to put an end to the UDF administration in the municipality.
As per the earlier plan, it was around 10.30 am on Tuesday that a special council was convened under municipal director Ram Mohan Roy and municipality secretary PS Shibu. When the no-confidence motion started, 22 councillors out of the total strength of 43, voted against the UDF. However, the UDF leaders stayed away from the discussion at the council meeting.
“The UDF leadership had issued a whip to all their party members. However, Sheela who recently revealed her political leaning was absconding from the party’s radius. We could only see her when she came to vote against her own party,” a UDF councillor said. It was just six months ago the UDF came to power with the support of former vice-chairperson Sabu
Francis, after dethroning the LDF. However, the factional feud in the party again played out against the UDF camp.
Meanwhile, the LDF party leadership is planning to depute Sheela Charu as chairperson and welfare standing committee chairperson KT Eldho as vice-chairman. “The final decision will be taken only after the party meeting. Most likely, Sheela will be deputed as the chairperson,” an LDF party source in the municipality said.
Meanwhile, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) staged a protest against the political developments at the Thrikkakkara municipality. AAP state convenor CR Neelakandan inaugurated the protest. “ Welfare and development work of the municipality is affected due to the political drama,” he said.