The chairperson of the Kottayam municipality, where both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) do not have the minimum numbers to form the administrative council, is set to be decided through a draw of lots.
In the urban body that has 52 seats, the UDF currently possesses 21seats as against the 22 seats by the LDF. But with Bincy Sebastian, the lone independent councillor in the municipality, deciding to extend her support to the Congress-led coalition, both the coalitions will have an equal number of seats in the council.
With this, the stance of the National Development Alliance that has eight seats in the council becomes decisive. However, none of the leading coalitions appear to be willing to align with the BJP-led coalition, at least for the time being. As part of extending her support to the UDF, Mrs. Sebastian on Sunday attended a meeting at the District Congress Committee office in Kottayam and held discussions with the senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy.
On her arrival at the party office in the afternoon, Mrs. Sebastian was accorded a warm reception by the party leadership. “Now that we have confirmed the support of the independent councillor, the chairperson will be decided through a draw of lot,” said Joshy Philip, president of the DCC, Kottayam.
Mrs. Sebastian, who had contested from Ward 52 of the municipality as a Congress rebel, won by a slender margin of eight votes. Upon winning the election, she had been approached by both the coalitions for support.
In lieu of extending her support to the coalition, Mrs. Sebastian is learned to have demanded the chairperson's post in case of the UDF winning the lot, besides withdrawing the disciplinary action initiated by the party against her supporters.
Meanwhile, the UDF leadership has succeeded in assuring the support of two out of the three independents in the municipality as well. The stance of the Independents has become crucial for the UDF and the LDF, which has won 13 and 12 seats respectively.
Hopeful
The Congress, which has been holding active consultations with the three Independents in Changanassery, remains hopeful of retaining power in the urban body as well.
