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LDF loses trust vote in Kannur corporation

Kannur: The CPM-led LDF lost power in Kannur corporation after the no-confidence motion moved by the UDF against mayor E P Latha on Saturday got the support of the majority. Twenty-eight councillors, including deputy mayor P K Ragesh , voted in favour of the no-confidence motion while 26 LDF members voted against it.



With Ragesh shifting his loyalty, the UDF has 28 members now, while the LDF has 26 members in the 55-member corporation, as CPM member from Edakkad, T M Kuttykrishnan, had died last week.

The debate on the motion and the voting was held amid tight security under the supervision of district collector T V Subhash. The UDF members were brought inside in the early hours itself to prevent any ‘untoward’ development.

Though the LDF or the CPM could never rule Kannur when it was a municipality, it was through a tactful move that the political front captured it in the very first election after it was elevated to corporation, with the support of independent member Ragesh, who was earlier with the Congress.

The CPM lured him to their side by offering him the deputy mayor’s post.

Though he shifted sides, Ragesh has ensured that he would be retained as the deputy mayor. According to the Congress leadership, the mayor’s post would be shared for equal period between the Congress and the IUML till the next election slated for next year.

The election of the new mayor would be held in three weeks after the completion of the formalities, said councillor Suma Balakrishnan, who hinted that the party has finalized her name for the post.

It was during the Lok Sabha polls that the Congress patched up with Ragesh, especially following the intervention of Congress leader K Sudhakaran.

Ever since the election in 2015, the corporation had witnessed high drama. Ragesh, who had supported the LDF in the voting for the mayor, preferred to abstain from the voting for the deputy mayor and thus the UDF got it through the draw of lot.

He had voted for the UDF in the standing committee election as well. However, after six months he formally switched to the Left camp and replaced the deputy mayor, C Sameer of the IUML, through a no-confidence motion.

Meanwhile, the CPM leadership said Ragesh does not have the moral right to continue as the deputy mayor. In effect the motion is against the governing body of which Ragesh is part of, said party district secretary M V Jayarajan.

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