Ramya Haridas to quit presidency of Kunnamangalam block panchayat

Kozhikode: Ramya Haridas, the young Congress candidate from the Alathur Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, has decided to quit her post of the president of the Kunnamangalam block panchayat in Kozhikode district. The development comes nearly a month ahead of the results of the Lok Sabha election and it is estimated that her chances against her main rival is bright.

Ramya is expected to tender her resignation shortly.

Ramya was in the limelight during the hectic campaign that preceded the election on April 23 over her unique modes of canvassing as well as the indecent attacks on her by political rivals.

T Siddique, the president of the Kozhikode District Congress Committee (DCC), told Onmanorama that Ramya's decision to quit the post was purely personal and the party did not compel her in this regard.

It is not known whether Ramya took the decision as she is confident of her electoral prospects. Ramya said that she was very much confident of winning the Alathur seat, where P K Biju, the incumbent MP of the CPM, is eyeing a hat-trick.

“I could feel the pulse of Alathur. They would not let me down. So, when I take up a new role, I do not want to waste someone else's chance to be in the post of a block panchayat president. That is why I decided to quit even before the election results are out. The party leaders in the Assembly constituency have already given me permission. I hope the DCC president will also support my decision,” she said.

Ramya told Onmanorama that she preferred to focus her activities more in Alathur area and that did not mean that she would abandon Kunnamangalam altogether.

"I had requested for the same when I was chosen to contest from Alathur, but at that time, the party was not prepared to take a decision on my quitting the current role," she added.

It is believed that Ramya's decision is a tactical move by the Congress to secure its advantage in the local body. When the next president of the local body is elected Ramya too can participate as long as she is not sworn in as the MP after she wins from Alathur.

If she wins and quits the membership of the Kunnamangalam block panchayat, along with the president's post, the number of UDF seats in the local body would be equal to that of the LDF.

Ramya was elected with the support of 10 members in the 19-member block panchayat.