Kerala - Kollam   

Mayor quits; suspended from CPI(M)

N. Padmalochanan

KOLLAM: Kollam Mayor N. Padmalochanan put in his papers on Thursday following a decision taken by the district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that he should step down. A senior member of the CPI(M), Mr. Padmalochanan was also suspended from primary membership of the party.

Action was taken against Mr. Padmalochanan following a controversy over his inaugurating a reception committee office of the Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Pranata Sanghi (State assembly) on February 20.

The State leadership of the CPI(M) had taken a serious view of Mr. Padmalochanan’s act and it was left to the district committee to take a decision on appropriate disciplinary action against him. The decision was taken unanimously by the 43-member district committee.

CPI(M) district secretary K. Rajagopal had earlier condemned Mr. Padmalochanan’s act of inaugurating the RSS reception committee office. Realising the gravity of his action, Mr. Padmalochanan had admitted the next day that it was a faux pas.

The district secretariat meeting of the party here on Wednesday too decided to initiate strong disciplinary action against Mr. Padmalochanan, who is also a member of the secretariat.

A CPI(M) leader told The Hindu that Mr. Padmalochanan’s style of functioning was not liked by large sections of party workers and other Left Democratic Front constituents.

Many of his decisions were controversial. This was one reason why Mr. Padmalochanan could not get support in the district secretariat and district committee meetings, he said.

The Mayor’s resignation was initially not accepted by Corporation Secretary V.K. Pratapachandran on technical grounds. Mr. Padmalochanan sent in his resignation through his personal assistant. As per relevant provisions of the Kerala Municipality Act, the Mayor should hand over the resignation in person or send the resignation in a prescribed format by registered post.

The form was then handed over to the personal assistant. The Mayor sent in the resignation by registered post.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State general secretary A.N. Radhakrishnan, at a press conference in Kochi, said the CPI(M)’s ‘undemocratic politics’ has been exposed through its stand taken against Kollam Mayor N. Padmalochanan for inaugurating a reception committee office of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

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