KOCHI: With the assembly elections just five months away, the ruling LDF seems to be treading more cautiously than ever, especially now that the winds are blowing in its favour. Testament to this caution are the events that unfolded on Wednesday at Kottangal grama panchayat in Pathanamthitta and Pangode grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram, where CPM candidates became the panchayat presidents with the support of SDPI, but resigned minutes after the election.
At Avinissery grama panchayat in Thrissur and Thiruvanvandoor grama panchayat in Alappuzha, two CPM panchayat presidents stepped down from the post, refusing UDF support this time.
The UDF accepted the SDPI vote at Kollam’s Poruvazhi to seize power. An exception in CPM’s case came at Azhiyur in Kozhikode, where the party didn’t refuse the support of two SDPI members, but failed to secure power because an LDF member failed to come for voting due to Covid-19.
The UDF wrested power through a draw of lots. Besides, in Chennithala Thripperumthura, the home turf of Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, the CPM joined hands with the UDF to defeat BJP. UDF and BJP came together to beat the Left at Kollam’s Elamballoor, where independent candidate Amina Sherief was elected with the support of six BJP members and four UDF members.
LDF gets support of Joseph in Muttar
Most surprising was the turn of events at Ranni in Pathanamthitta -- the centre stage of the Sabarimala protest, where the LDF secured the president post with the support of BJP. Both LDF and UDF have five members each in the panchayat, while the BJP has two. Sobha Charley of Kerala Congress (M) was elected president. However, according to a news report, she too may step down from the post.
In the meantime, disputes within the UDF once again came to fore at Elanji panchayat in Ernakulam, where Congress joined hands with LDF to defeat the candidate of KC(M) Joseph faction. Annamma Andrews of Congress was elected president with the support of CPM, CPI and the KC(M) Jose faction, denying the president post to Preethi Anil of the Joseph group. Ironically, at Muttar in Alappuzha, the LDF managed to secure power with the help of two members of the Joseph faction.
The LDF came to power in Poonjar Thekkekara, where two members of P C George’s Janapaksham extended their support to it. The representative of the One India One Pension movement came to power with UDF support at Uzhavoor. CPM’s Reshma Mariam Roy assumed office as the youngest panchayat president in the state at Aruvappulam in Pathanamthitta.