Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

CPI(M) man elected chairman of Pathanamthitta municipality

Staff Reporter

UDF candidate alleges conspiracy behind his defeat

PATHANAMTHITTA: Zakir Hussein, Pathanamthitta area committee secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and council party secretary of the Left Democratic Front in the Pathanamthitta municipal council, was elected the new municipal chairman on Tuesday. The election was held under tight police security.

The election follows the resignation of P. Mohanraj, District Congress Committee president who was elected the civic body chief on February 22 with the support of BJP member Ambily Rajendran.

Mr. Mohanraj was the UDF candidate in the election held this time too. Mr. Hussein defeated him by a single vote when UDF member Rosamma Kuriakose abstained from voting and independent member Sandhya Santhosh who was in the UDF camp in the previous elections shifted her loyalty to the LDF camp in Tuesday's polls. Of the 27 votes polled, Mr. Hussein got 14 and Mr. Mohanraj, 13.

Though the lone BJP member attended the meeting, she had walked out of the council when the voting process began. However, Indian Union Muslim League (independent) member V.A. Shahjahan, who had supported the LDF candidate in the previous election, voted in favour of the UDF this time.

Sworn in

Mr. Hussein sworn in as the municipal chairman immediately after the declaration of the poll result.

LDF workers took out a jubilation procession in the town, carrying the newly elected municipal chairman on their shoulders, later.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mohanraj alleged that certain UDF quarters had conspired with the LDF to defeat him in the election. He said he would take up the matter with the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday.

K.R. Ajithkumar of the Congress, who was elected the municipal vice-chairman with the support of the BJP member on February 22, said he would tender his resignation soon.

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