In a dramatic political upset in Kerala, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has lost control of the Mattathur panchayat in Thrissur district after 23 years in power. The change came following an unexpected alliance between eight Congress councillors from the United Democratic Front (UDF) and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The move has triggered a fierce political battle, with rivals accusing each other of blatant opportunism.
The Vote That Changed Everything
The Mattathur panchayat had a fractured mandate. The LDF held 10 seats, the UDF had 8, and the NDA had 4. Two independents, both Congress rebels, held the balance of power. The LDF decided to support one independent, Ouseph K R, for the president's post. In response, Congress councillors backed the other independent, Tessy Jose Kallarakkal, and crucially, secured the votes of three BJP members.
This strategic move led to Tessy Jose Kallarakkal winning the presidency with 12 votes, effectively ousting the LDF from governance. The district Congress committee (DCC) reacted swiftly and harshly, expelling the eight Congress members who voted for Tessy, along with the two rebel independents, from the party.
Expulsions and Accusations Fly
The DCC stated that a party whip had been issued to its members instructing them not to align with the BJP, a claim the expelled members refuted, saying they never received any such directive. DCC president Joseph Tajet explained the procedural breakdown, stating the whip was served to the mandalam president, who was supposed to relay it to ward members. "If the mandalam president withheld it intentionally, we cannot do anything about that," Tajet said.
He strongly denied any official understanding with the BJP. "Our policy is that there should not be any alliance with SDPI and BJP," Tajet emphasized. "We intimated this policy stand to party members. Unfortunately, BJP members backed the president candidate of the Congress." He confirmed that legal action would be initiated to disqualify the expelled ward members.
Rebels Pass the Buck, CPM Cries Foul
The expelled Congress members, however, shifted the blame to the DCC leadership. One of them, Linto Palliparamban, claimed they were still with the UDF and that the crisis was avoidable. "We were planning to field Ouseph. However, the LDF won him over and announced his candidacy. That's why we fielded Tessy and got BJP support," he said. "This issue could have been avoided if the DCC had intervened earlier." Reports suggest the alliance was facilitated by a young BJP ward member.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s district committee launched a scathing attack, alleging an "unholy alliance" between the Congress and BJP at the local body level, claiming it happened with the knowledge of the DCC. This accusation sets the stage for a heated political narrative in the state, with the Congress facing internal rebellion and external criticism over the optics of collaborating with the BJP to gain power in a local panchayat.
