LDF survives existential crisis, budget passed

Thiruvananthapuram: The LDF survived a major scare and passed the budget for 2018-19 as the UDF councillors stuck to the whip received from DCC to walk out of council hall ahead of voting here on Tuesday. The budget was declared passed with 43 votes of LDF against 34 of BJP.
The second day of budget discussion began on a level of uncertainty with speculations that UDF might vote against the budget which would result in an administrative crisis. Just before noon, the cloud of uncertainty dissipated as LDF confirmed the communication to UDF councillors from the top. The decision of Congress leadership to indirectly help LDF pass the budget however has caused a rift within UDF as four of their councillors belonging to allies have strongly expressed their dissent.

LDF senior councillors had to work through lengthy sessions of persuasion and discussions even with the senior most leaders of Congress and Muslim League in the state for the last two days to make sure that UDF did not act against the interests of LDF. Besides, section 64 of Kerala Municipality Act also deterred the UDF councillors who were until then unaware of the fact that if the budget could not be passed, all of their existence in the council would be at stake.

UDF leaders in the council were directly summoned by Congress leaders to legislative assembly and were instructed not to take foolhardy decisions with Chengannur by-election round the corner. UDF parliamentary party leader D Anilkumar summed up these instructions clearly as he stood up just before Congress councillors boycotted the session. “You would all know that UDF has the power to accept or reject this budget. If we support this budget, people would lash at us, if we vote against it, the Congress would be portrayed in a bad way that does not fit with our national policy,” said Anilkumar.

Soon after UDF walked out of the council hall, mayor V K Prasanth called for a vote by raising hands. BJP councillors raised slogans alleging LDF and UDF of playing politics of compromise. The LDF which had not gone through such harsh tests in recent times also found a way of reunion following the budget discussion. All the leaders of constituent allies got together at mayor’s room after the council session in an informal display of solidarity.