KOTTAYAM: With the chairperson of the United Democratic Front (UDF)-controlled Kottayam Municipal Council Reeba Varkey supporting a motion moved by the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the council on Thursday, the delicate political equilibrium in the council has been upset.

Discontent has been brewing in the 38-member council, of which 20 seats is with the UDF.

Of these the Congress has 19. An independent, who was earlier associated with the Democratic Indira Congress(Karunakaran) DIC(K) too supports the UDF, as he was made the vice-chairman. It is this balance that has been upset.

Groupism in the Congress is out in the open and chairperson Reeba Varkey and three other members who support her have found themselves isolated in the UDF.

To make the situation worse, they have now ensured the support of the opposition LDF, at least for the time being.

The LDF had brought a motion regarding the state of construction works under way in the municipality, which was opposed by the ruling side and 16 of them walked out after a fisticuff. The other four UDF members, including the chairperson, remained in the council and the motion was passed unanimously.

The main constituent of the ruling front in the council is a today a divided house.

Meanwhile, both the sides are now engaged in an open mudslinging match, hurling corruption charges at each other.

The key to the issue appears to be the major construction works going in the municipality.

The payments are in arrears and the contractors have gone on `strike' bringing the works to a stand still.

While the group opposed to the chairperson alleges that it was her unwillingness to hold talks with contractors that has created the impasse, chairperson's group alleges that the other group was the real culprits who had forced the contractors to take the extreme step.

The issue may get more complex in the next few months as the term of the chairperson comes to an end in December, as per the earlier understanding in the Congress.

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