KOCHI: The LDF attempt to oust Thrikkakara Municipal Chairperson Ajitha Thankappan through a no-confidence motion failed miserably as the ruling UDF councillors united against the move. To nullify the no-confidence motion, 25 councillors — including four independents — abstained from the council session.
Since the municipality has 42 councillors, the attendance of 22 was required to take the motion up for discussion. With the UDF councillors staying away, the council failed to meet the required quorum. The LDF had the support of 18 councillors including an independent.
The LDF-led opposition moved the no-confidence motion following the row over the ‘Onam gift’, as part of which the municipal chairperson allegedly gave money to a few councillors. Though the Left believed that a section of the Congress councillors who had come out against Ajitha would support them in the motion, their hope ended in vain as none of them turned up for the session. The LDF even took the effort of bringing a Covid-infected councillor, wearing a PPE kit, to attend the meeting.
“We will continue our fight against corruption in the municipality. Another no-confidence motion will be initiated against the chairperson after six months,” said Opposition leader Chandrababu. Meanwhile, the district Congress committee’s (DCC) intervention helped the chairperson escape the no-confidence motion. The Congress had issued a whip to all its councillors to stay away from the meeting.
However, a source in the Congress said a consensus had been arrived at between the ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups to change the chairperson. “The DCC had decided to divide the five-year tenure between the A and I factions. According to the agreement, Ajitha Thankappan became the chairperson. But things are not going as planned, as there have been several allegations levelled against the chairperson. So a discussion has already taken place to appoint senior A group leader Radhamani Pillai as the chairperson,” said the source.