Nearly a year after after it was pulled down through an unprecedented move by the then Opposition, the United Democratic Front on Monday returned to power in the Thiruvalla municipality
In an election held to the 39-member municipal council, UDF candidate Anu Goerge polled 17 votes including that of the previous chairperson Shanthamma Varghese. The Left Democratic Front, which fielded Linda Jacob Vanchippalam of the Kerala Congress (M), received 15 votes.
All six members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the lone Social Democratic Party of India member in the council abstained from voting. Rahul Biju, the lone Independent councillor in the civic body, voted in favour of the UDF.
Following the election, UDF workers took out a victory march in the town. Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee president Satheesh Kochuparambil congratulated the winning candidate.
The election was necessitated by the resignation of Ms. Varghese, a Kerala Congress councillor, who had ruled the municipality with the LDF’s backing since July 18 last year. Having won the election against Ms.George through a draw of lots, Ms.Varghese had developed differences with the LDF and the former municipal secretary and resigned earlier last month.
The tenure of Ms.Varghese as municipal chairperson also witnessed several controversial episodes such as the councillors boycotting en masse a meeting convened by her and the former municipal secretary convening council meetings without the chairperson’s consent.
