New local body members take oath in district

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans raised during the swearing-in ceremony of new council of T’Puram Corporation .LDF creates history by retaining the reins of  Varkala municipality for second consecutive term  .Race between the LDF and the BJP to secure a majority to rule Mudakkal panchayat hots up

Newly-elected members at various local bodies in the district took their oath of office on Monday. The oldest elected member elected to the district panchayat, Sasidharan Nair of the UDF from Vellanad division, was sworn in first by District Collector Navjot Khosa.Later, 25 other members were sworn in by Sasidharan Nair paving way for the first council meeting to be held under his chairmanship. A notice with regard to the election of president and vice-president was given to all members. 

Municipalities 
In all the four municpalities, functions began in the morning following strict Covid protocol. In Varkala, 33 elected members were sworn in. The oldest member N Ashokan was sworn in by K Mohanakumar, deputy director of Revenue Recovery, while others were sworn in by Ashokan. In Attingal municipality, 31 elected members were sworn in. G Rajeev, general manager, District Trade Centre, administered the oath to the oldest member G Thulaseedharan marking the beginning of the swearing-in ceremony. 

P Beena Sukumar, deputy director, Fisheries, administered oath to S Raveendran, the oldest elected councillor in Nedumangaud municipality. Here, 39 members were sworn in. In the swearing in ceremony held at the Town Hall in Neyyattinkara, 44 members took oath with V Prakash, assistant director, Resurvey, administering the oath to P K Rajamohanan.  As per protocol, the oldest elected councillor, administered oath to the remaining members. The oldest members also chaired the first council meeting. 

11 block panchayats
As many as 13 members were sworn in at Varkala block panchayat beginning with B S Suresh Kumar, senior superindent, Land Survey, administering oath to S Akbar from Kavalayoor block division. In Chirayinkeezhu, Devaprasad, assistant commissioner, Land and Revenue Office, administered oath to K Mohanan from Chirayinkeezhu division. A total of 13 members took oath here. 

In Pothencode,  Prasanth Kumar, panchayat assistant director, administered oath to Francis Jefferson. Here, 13 members were sworn in. In Kilimanoor, where a total of 15 members were sworn in, the ceremony began with B P Murali being sworn in by Elias Thomas, district social justice officer. 

In Vamanapuram block panchayat, 15 members were sworn in. The ceremony began with Radha Jayaprakash from Nanniyode division being sworn in by G Sudhakaran, ADC General.  As many as 13 elected members were sworn in starting with V Vijayan Nair from Cheriyakonni being administered the oath of office by C G Harikumar, deputy collector, Land Acquisition. In Vellanad, 16 elected members were sworn in. Sarala from Amachal division was sworn in by Sunil S Nair, deputy collector, Vigilance (Revenue). In the swearing-in ceremony held at Perumkadavila Block Office, 14 new members took oath of office.  

Parassala block panchayat saw 14 members being sworn in. K I Pradeep Kumar, divisional forest officer, administered oath to  S Aryadevan from Arumanoor division. In Athiyannoor, a 13-member council was sworn in. P Nainaan, district registrar, administered oath to K S Sajan from Muttacaud division. In Nemom block, Santha Prabhakaran from Maranalloor division was sworn in by B Aneesh Kumar, deputy director, Economics and Statistics department. Here, 16 members took their oath of office.  Swearing-in ceremonies were held in all the 73 panchayats in the district too.

Turn of events

After ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised, LDF workers thronged the T’Puram Corporation council hall with slogans of ‘Lal Salaam’
With 12 seats, LDF emerged as the largest front in Varkala municipality but was five seats short of simple majority in the 33-member council  
The BJP had a surprise climb from three seats to 11 seats pushing the UDF to the third position
Decision of 2 independents critical to the fortunes of the dominant fronts in Mudakkal panchayat

‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans during swearing-in ceremony
T’Puram:  Setting a new precedent, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised during the swearing-in ceremony of the new council of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation. The slogans were raised when a BJP councillor came forward to take the oath.In the wake of protests that transpired after a ‘Jai Shri Ram’ banner was flashed at the municipality building in Palakkad, the slogans of Jai Shri Ram at the corporation office here implies that the arguments and protests over the controversy is not going to die down soon.

 Responding to slogans, BJP councillor Karamana Ajith told ‘Express’ that the slogans need not be seen as a religious one. “BJP is a party where everyone has space. Jai Shri Ram is more of a cultural reference. It was raised by an excited group of party workers when our councillors took oath. Mahatma Gandhi himself had dreamt of a ‘Ram Rajya’,” he said. LDF workers also thronged the council hall with slogans of ‘Lal Salaam’. Many councillors had taken oath invoking specific gods from Ayyappa to Allah,  ditching the phrases “in the name of God” and “firm pledge” used during the oath-taking ceremony.

LDF to rule Varkala with support of 2 independents
T’Puram: In Varkala Municipality where people never backed one ruling front for two successive terms, the LDF has made history this time by retaining the reins of the local body with the support of two independents. With 12 seats, LDF had emerged as the largest front in the local body elections but was five seats short of simple majority in the 33-member council.  The newly-elected members took oath of office on Monday. The people of the municipality had alternately elected UDF and LDF so far. According to the LDF’s local leadership, the two independents who have extended support to them are Amina, a CPM rebel who won from Ramanthali ward, and Kumari Sudarsini, who won from Puthanchantha ward.

The third independent candidate who won the election is BJP rebel Sreyas of Perunkulam ward. He has not extended support to any front so far. Even if he backs the NDA, the second largest front with 11 seats, it will not diminish the LDF’s prospects of ruling the local body. The LDF which ruled the previous council had 18 seats then. The BJP had a surprise climb from three seats to 11 seats pushing the UDF to the third position.