UDF’s dream torpedoed at Poothadi Panchayat, LDF has a narrow escape in No-Confidence Motion

Kalpetta: In a setback to the UDF leadership in Wayanad, the LDF had a narrow escape at the Poothadi village panchayat on Wednesday, as the no-confidence motion moved by the UDF against the ruling administrative body failed to secure the required number of votes.

In the voting, the UDF secured 10 votes, while the LDF got eight. The three BJP members also voted, while two rebel CPM members stayed away from the voting. The motion required the support of at least 12 members to be carried in the 23-member panchayat.

The LDF and UDF have equal strength, with 10 members each, while the BJP has three members. The LDF’s position had become precarious following an open rebellion by two CPM members, A M Prasad and A V Jayan, who had publicly announced their decision not to cooperate with the party leadership.

The UDF had pinned its hopes on the rebellion within the CPM and expected the two rebel members to vote in favour of the no-confidence motion. Their decision to abstain, however, dashed the UDF’s hopes of toppling the LDF-led administration.

The development came after the CPM district leadership intervened amid efforts to prevent the rebels from supporting the UDF. The party had earlier succeeded in bringing the two leaders back into the electoral process and fielding them in the local-body elections despite their differences with the party leadership.

Jayan is a former Wayanad district president of the Karshaka Sangham, the farmers’ organisation affiliated with the CPM, while Prasad is a former district secretary of the organisation.

The two leaders had emerged as a key factor in the political equations in the panchayat following their public differences with the CPM leadership. Their possible support was seen as crucial to the UDF’s attempt to secure the required majority in the no-confidence motion.

However, Prasad told Onmanorama that they had decided, for the time being, to stay away from the voting as reconciliation talks with the party leadership were underway.

“We have decided to keep away from the voting for the time being as discussions with the party leadership are taking place,” Prasad said.

The abstention of the two rebel CPM members enabled the LDF administration to survive the no-confidence motion, despite the ruling front having only eight members participating in the vote.