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CPI(M) may move no-trust motion in Ottappalam

OTTAPPALAM: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is learned to have decided at its local committee meeting here on Sunday to move a no-confidence motion against the Congress in the Ottappalam municipal council.

The CPI(M) lost power for the first time in the civic body in the local body elections held last year as five former party leaders contested as rebels and won. The Congress came to power with the support of the five.

But recently, differences emerged within the Congress after the municipal chairman gave sanction for construction of six roads without the council's approval. One of the five CPI(M) rebels, A.K. Prabala, returned to the party last week.

On Sunday, CPI(M) Ottappalam area committee secretary K. Suresh gave an open call to the rebels to return to the party at a public meeting organised to welcome Ms. Prabala.

After the local body election, Rani George of the Congress took charge as chairperson of the municipality after getting 17 votes against the CPI(M)'s 15.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has four members in the 36-member Council, had abstained from voting.

However, in the voting held on Monday, on the agenda of sanction for roads, the ruling Congress and the Opposition CPI(M) got 16 votes each.

The BJP again abstained from voting. The CPI(M) claimed that the Congress has lost its majority in the council.

Congress' take

Meanwhile, District Congress Committee president C.V. Balachandran said the CPI(M) was trying to capture power by wooing back its rebels who had joined hands with the Congress to come to power.

He said that the CPI(M) was also trying to bring to its ranks three Congress councillors, including a standing committee chairman, S. Shelvarajan.

The Congress had taken disciplinary action against Mr. Shelvarajan for raising corruption charges against the chairperson after she sanctioned the construction of roads, Mr. Balachandran said.

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