Mariyamma Joseph, fielded by the Kerala Congress (M) faction led by P.J. Joseph, was elected president of the Kanjirappally block panchayat here on Monday.
In the election to the 15-member council, Ms. Joseph secured 10 votes, while her rival candidate P.G. Vasanthakumari of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) received only five votes. Despite the factionalism in the party, two members who owe allegiance to the rival KC(M) group led by Jose K. Mani too cast their votes in support of the Joseph group candidate.
P.A. Shameer of the Congress, who was the acting president of the local body, proposed Ms. Joseph’s name to the post while Jolly Madukkakkuzhi of the KC(M) seconded her.
Assistant Development Commissioner G. Anees was the returning officer.
The election on Monday was necessitated by the resignation of Sophy Joseph, a member owing allegiance to the Mani group, on May 29 in accordance with a power-sharing agreement within the United Democratic Front (UDF).
As per the post-sharing agreement, Sophy Joseph should have stepped down from the post on November 30, 2019. She, however, had held on to the post for six more months despite protests by the rival faction and even survived a no-confidence motion moved by the Left Democratic Front in February this year.
Erattupetta municipality
Meanwhile, the Erattupetta municipality here on Monday got its fifth chairman in as many years with Nizar Kurbani, a Congress candidate, being elected to the post.
In the 28-member council, Mr. Kurbani obtained 16 votes, including the votes by an LDF rebel and four SDPI members. His rival candidate, Laila Pareeth of the LDF, secured 11 votes.
The election was held after V.M. Siraj of the Indian Union Muslim League stepped down from the post as per an agreement in the coalition. Though, Ms. Pareeth had been elected chairperson in an earlier election, she resigned from the post within five minutes after taking the oath of office citing that the LDF did not require the support of the SDPI members.
The civic body council has witnessed four elections since August last year after the former chairman V.K. Kabeer resigned from the post following a no-confidence motion moved by the UDF.
