Muslim League-Congress ties dip over civic bypoll shocker

KOCHI: Undermining UDF attempts to present a united front in the upcoming assembly elections,  Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) activists took to the streets against the Congress local leaders after the League candidate was defeated in byelections to ward 37 of the Kalamassery municipal council.

The win by LDF independent Rafeeq Marakkar will further narrow the margin in the Kalamassery municipal council, which is now ruled by the UDF after a draw of lots. While the UDF which enjoys the backing of two independents has 21 seats, the LDF has 20 seats after Friday’s win. The BJP has one seat in the 42-member council. If the LDF is able to garner the support of one independent, it can rule the council. League activists alleged inaction by the Congress leadership for the loss of its sure seat in ward 37 after the Congress rebel candidate spoiled the UDF’s chances.

While LDF’s Marakkar secured 308 votes,  UDF candidate V S Saleem (IUML) polled 244 votes. The Congress rebel candidate Shibu Sidhique garnered 207 votes. “We lost by a margin of just 64 votes. We could have won if we got another 33 votes,” said P M Latheef, president, IUML Kalamassery municipal committee.

The committee has also written to KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran pointing out that UDF Kalamassery election committee chairman Jamal Manakkadan and municipal chairperson Seema Kannan had stayed away from campaigning even after the League local leadership exhorted them to actively involve themselves in campaigning.

The League activists held a demonstration in Kalamassery against Manakkadan and other Congress leaders following the defeat of its candidate. A P Ibrahim, UDF mandalam committee convener ( ward 37 election committee chairman ), in a letter to Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy, alleged that Manakkadan and Seema Kannan campaigned for the rebel candidate and urged them to take action against the local Congress leaders.