KOTTAYAM: For the first time in its history, a CPM-supported independent councillor became the chairperson of Pala municipality in Kottayam district. In the election held to the post on Thursday, Josin Bino defeated V C Prince of Congress.
In the 26-member council, Josin secured 17 votes. While Prince got eight votes, one vote was marked as invalid.
The election was held after Kerala Congress (M)’ Anto Jose Padinjarekkara resigned from the chairman post as per the power-sharing agreement within the LDF, which stipulates the CPM to hold the municipal chairman’s post for a year in between the first and last couple of years of the current term.
However, the change of guard was not at all smooth for the LDF as KC (M) raised strong objection against the CPM’s move to give chairman post to Binu Pulikkakandam, its lone councillor who won on CPM party symbol.
Bowing down to the immense pressure from KC (M), the CPM dropped themove at the last minute and decided to give the post to Josin Binu. As a token of protest, Binu arrived at the council wearing a black shirt on Thursday. He also wrote an open letter to KC (M) chairman Jose K Mani expressing his protest and displeasure over the stance taken by the KC (M).
Earlier on Thursday, a meeting of the CPM area committee held in the morning, resolved to field Josin Bino, who won as independent with the support of CPM from Mundupalam ward, in the chairperson’s election. The decision was approved in the parliamentary party members’ meeting that followed.
Earlier, uncertainty had prevailed in the LDF as they failed to find a solution for the dispute between Kerala Congress (M) and the CPM over the chairman candidate even on the eve of the election. Though the CPM wished to field Binu Pulikkakandam, KC (M) raised strong objection against the move citing that Binu was continuously acting against KC (M) and its leaders, including party chairman Jose K Mani and its minister Roshy Augustine.
Though the CPM’s local leaders and workers are against yielding to the ‘unnecessary’ demands of KC (M), party state leadership has conveyed a message that its influential coalition partner in Central Travancore should not be antagonised over the chairman candidate in Pala. This has put the LDF leadership in a quandary. Meanwhile, CPM area secretary Lalichan George dismissed all such reports
and said the decision was taken unanimously.