Mayors take oath in 6 corporations; 21-year-old Diya elected Pala municipality chairperson

Pala municipality made history by electing Diya Binu Pulikkakandam as its youngest woman chairperson. Diya, who won the local body polls as an independent candidate, secured 14 votes. The UDF agreed to field her as its mayoral candidate after three members of the Pulikkakandam family extended their support to the front.

Binu Pulikkakandam, his daughter Diya, and his brother Biju had all won as independent candidates. Their support proved crucial in helping the UDF secure an absolute majority in the 26-member municipality. While the LDF won 12 seats and the UDF 10, independents took the remaining four seats. Following the Pulikkakandam family’s backing, the DCC leadership offered Diya the mayoral post for the first two years.

Mayoral elections concluded on Friday across the state. UDF councillors V K Minimol, P Indira, and Dr Niji Justin were sworn in as mayors of the Kochi, Kannur, and Thrissur corporations, respectively. In Kollam, UDF councillor A K Hafees took oath as mayor, while LDF councillor O Sadasivan became the new mayor of Kozhikode. In Thiruvananthapuram, BJP’s V V Rajesh was sworn in as mayor after the party emerged as the single-largest in the corporation.

In Kochi, KPCC general secretary and councillor Deepthy Mary Varghese congratulated Mayor Minimol, ending the controversy over her selection. However, in Thrissur, Congress councillor Lali James alleged that the District Congress Committee had “sold” the mayoral post to Dr Niji Justin, triggering a political controversy.