KOTTAYAM: It's a classic Catch-22 situation that awaits the UDF, which has served a notice for no confidence motion against its own chairperson at Kottayam Municipal Council on Wednesday.

The Congress (I) was in an unenviable situation ever since its chairperson

Ms. Reeba Varkey expressed her unwillingness to step down from the chair as per earlier understanding. In the 38-member Council Ms. Varkey had a following of three members and the support of the 18-member strong

Opposition contingent. With this highly complex `coalition' she had succeeded in steamrolling the so-called "ruling front" into submission.

Things had come to such a pass for the Congress (I) they had no other way but to bring in a no confidence motion against its own chairperson. The motion of no confidence is to come up for voting on Wednesday, and the Congress (I) district unit has already made it clear that they would issue a whip and anyone who breaches the whip will lose his or her membership under the provisions of Anti Defection Act.

It is learnt that the 18-member Opposition Left contingent, which has 14 CPI(M) members, two CPI one NCP and an Independent, is expected to keep off the proceedings and keep a studied silence on Wednesday. That leaves the 20 UDF contingent in the Council when it meets to vote on the no confidence motion on Wednesday. One member, Jebeen Mathew, is on leave. This leaves 19 members for participating in Wednesday's vote of no confidence.

Figures don't add up

As per the Panchayati Raj rules, a vote of no confidence, to pass, needs more than 50 per cent votes of the total strength of the Council (and not more than 50 per cent of the strength in attendence for the voting).

This means, the UDF needs a minimum of 20 (more than 50 per cent of the total 38 votes) votes for their motion to pass.

That is the no confidence motion, though it might get 100 per cent of the total votes in attendance) would remain `defeated'. In other words, even if Ms. Varkey votes against herself on Wednesday, she can continue to enjoy the chairpersonship.

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