Prasanna Earnest of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will preside over Kollam Corporation as she was elected the Mayor in an open ballot on Monday. A councillor representing Thamarakkulam division, this is for the second time she is donning the Mayor’s garb after a stint from 2000 to 2004. She was sworn in by District Collector B. Abdul Nasar. Later, Ms. Earnest administered the oath of office to Kollam Madhu of Communist Party of India (CPI) who was elected as the Deputy Mayor of the council.
Among the 55 councillors, 39 favoured Ms. Earnest, while the UDF’s mayoral candidate Sreedeviamma secured 9 votes and the BJP’s B. Shylaja, five. Krishnendu, the only Socialist Democratic Party of India councillor from Chathinamkulam division, abstained from voting. The vote of BJP councillor Sajith Anand was considered invalid.
Three in PPE kits
The name of Ms. Earnest was proposed by S. Geethakumari representing the College division and seconded by Mr. Madhu. The candidature of Mr. Madhu was proposed by former Mayor Honey Benjamin and seconded by Vallikeezhu councillor S. Jayan. The election to the post of Mayor took place at 11 a.m. to that of the Deputy Mayor in the afternoon. Three councillors voted wearing PPE kits.
Ms. Earnest, a senior politician, is also the district president of All India Democratic Women’s Association and a member of CPI(M) district committee.
Mr. Madhu, the councillor representing Kavanad division, is the assistant secretary of CPI Anchalumoodu mandalam.
The LDF has a brute majority of 39 in the 55-member council. While UDF has a total of nine members, including three Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) seats, the BJP has six councillors and the SDPI one. The meeting which followed was attended by LDF leaders, officials, religious heads, and people’s representatives.
