BJP support helps Congress candidate secure vice-president post in Mattathur panchayat again
In the vice-president election, the BJP chose not to field a candidate and instead extended its support to the Congress nominee.
In the vice-president election, the BJP chose not to field a candidate and instead extended its support to the Congress nominee.
In the vice-president election, the BJP chose not to field a candidate and instead extended its support to the Congress nominee.
Thrissur: Mattathur Panchayat once again saw a Congress–BJP alliance as Congress member Mini Teacher was elected as vice president on Friday with the support of the BJP.
Mini, the Congress member from ward 12, secured 11 votes in the election- seven from her party and four from BJP members. Two UDF members abstained from voting.
Speaking after her election, Mini said that she had received "god's vote" and asserted her loyalty to the party. "I am a person who follows the party, and I will always remain so," she said.
The LDF has 11 members in the panchayat, including the support of an independent member. The Congress has nine members, while the BJP holds four seats.
In the vice-president election, the BJP chose not to field a candidate and instead extended its support to the Congress nominee. While Congress member Linto Jose Pallipparamban was absent during the voting, Akshay Santhosh abstained. As a result, LDF candidate Bindu Manoj Kumar and UDF's Mini secured 11 votes each. Mini was declared elected after winning the draw of lots.
Earlier, in the panchayat president election, the Congress had secured both the president and vice president posts through a similar understanding with the BJP. However, the episode triggered controversy within the party, leading to the resignation of vice president Noorjahan. Congress rebel president Tessy Jose, however, refused to step down.
Noorjahan's resignation followed the intervention of the KPCC leadership, which had directed all rebel Congress members who won with BJP support to resign from their posts.
Meanwhile, rebel leader and former DCC secretary T M Chandran levelled serious allegations against the district leadership. He claimed that during the local body elections in Mattathur, party symbols were allotted to candidates in three wards at the insistence of Kodakara Rasheed, a known criminal figure. Chandran said he has submitted a detailed complaint to the KPCC outlining these allegations.