Kerala - Kozhikode   

UDF's fate hangs in the balance

Special Correspondent

Wayanad district panchayat

KOZHIKODE: A woman member who revolted against the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) now holds the key to the fate of the UDF in the Wayanad district panchayat.

A no-trust motion has been moved against the UDF-led district panchayat by the newly-formed National Congress(I) and the LDF.

To vote for motion

Risanath has said she will vote for the no-confidence motion. The local IUML leadership no longer counts Risanath as its member. If she votes for the no-trust motion, the UDF will lose its control on the Wayanad District Panchayat. District panchayat president K.K. Ahmed, an IUML nominee, will have to quit.

The UDF had come to power with 10 members, seven of the Congress and three of the IUML. The Opposition tally was five.

However, two Congress members, vice-president M.Raghavan and Gracy Vincent, joined the National Congress(I). They and the rebel IUML member Risanath Salim are with the LDF.

If the political equations do not change before the day on which the no-trust motion is put to vote, odds are heavily loaded against the UDF.

Bathery division

Risanath, standing committee chairperson of the district panchayat, got elected from Bathery division as IUML candidate but reportedly fell out of the good books of the local IUML leaders when she blocked payments of bills submitted for schemes executed for the Public Works Department. Risanath had made it clear she was ready for a confrontation with her party leaders. During the run-up to the last Lok Sabha elections, she angered the UDF and the IUML leaders by giving an open call to vote for the LDF candidate M.P. Veerendra Kumar, who was contesting from the Kozhikode constituency. The NC (I) has been quick to seize this opportunity thrown up by the erosion in UDF strength to launch an offensive and moved the no-confidence motion with the support of the LDF. The National Congress (I) member M. Raghavan is now the district panchayat vice-president. The voting on the no-confident motion is expected to take place in the third week of June.

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