Kollam Corporation: 'Rebels' hold sway as both fronts stake claim

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, OCT. 4. The race for the Kollam Corporation rule has reached an interesting stage with both the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front claiming the crucial support of the two Congress(I) `rebel' members. In separate press conferences, both fronts have staked their claim to rule the Corporation.

LDF district leaders today claimed that they are in a position to rule the Corporation as they managed to get the support of the two ``Independents'', Mr. Jayapalan Pillai and Mr. V.S. Priyadarshan, who won from Palathara and Valathungal divisions respectively. Both had contested as Congress(I) rebels and defeated official candidates of the rival fronts.

Addressing a press conference, the CPI(M) district committee secretary, Mr. K. Rajagopal, said Mr. Jayapalan Pillai would be given the Deputy Mayor's post and Mr. Priyadarshan a suitable position. The CPI(M) city committee secretary, Mr. R. Vijayakumar, the RSP district secretary, Mr. S. Thyagarajan, and the CPI(M) area committee secretary, Mr. K.V. Rajendran, were also present.

Mr. Rajagopal said the LDF would put up Ms. Sabita Begum of the CPI(M), who won from Thamarakulam Division, as the Mayoral candidate. With 24 members in the 50-member Corporation, the LDF, by all means, is justified in seeking the support of the Independents as they are not Congressmen, he said.

The CPI(M) leader said the LDF had sought the support of only one Independent, Mr. Jayapalan, and with his support, the 25-member mark had been achieved. Mr. Priyadarshan had earlier said that he would support any front that manages the 25-member mark.

The latter's stand, Mr. Rajagopal said, was a ``genuine pro-LDF gesture''. He said the LDF expects the PDP support and that there are indications that a couple of members from the UDF would come forward in due course to the LDF side. He, however, did not elaborate.

Mr. Rajagopal said the LDF had ``injected courage'' into Mr. Jayapalan to walk out from the UDF captivity. Asked whether the LDF would ``inject similar courage'' into the UDF camp, Mr. Rajagopal replied in the negative.

Meanwhile, UDF leaders said the Congress(I) rebel, Mr. Jayapalan Pillai, was still with them since he had not contacted them to confirm a shift in favour of the LDF as claimed by its leadership. Mr. Jayapalan had on Saturday last told presspersons in the presence of the Congress(I) leaders that his support would go only to the UDF.

Addressing a press conference, the DCC(I) president, Mr. K.C. Rajan, said the UDF, with 22 members, had already the support of the two PDP members and ``with Mr. Jayapalan expected to honour his word'', the support for the UDF works out to 25. In such a situation, the other Congress(I) rebel, Mr. Priyadarshan, also would extend support to the UDF thereby enabling the front to rule the Corporation.

The UDF leaders, Mr. T.M. Prabha of the RSP(B), Mr. Valiyaveedan Mohammed Kunju of the IUML, and the DCC(I) vice- presidents, Mr. A.A. Samad and Prof. E. Marydasan, were also present.

Mr. Rajan said the CPI(M) had unleashed a couple of abkari contractors with huge amounts of money to lure the Congress(I) rebels. The UDF would not adopt such tactics. ``Let the Congress(I) rebels act according to their conscience.''

The Congress(I), he said, had produced Mr. Jayapalan before mediapersons, whereas the LDF, despite claims, had not done so. He had not even made any public statement on extending support to the LDF.

Mr. Rajan said that during the election campaign, the CPI(M) had resorted to appeasement tactics by promising the Mayor's post to a particular community. However, the members of that community now feel that they had been betrayed since the Mayoral candidate announced by the CPI(M) belongs to a different community. He said the same tactic was being adopted now by allegedly sending feelers to one of the Congress(I) rebels offering money and power.

Mr. Rajan said the UDF candidates for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be formally announced tomorrow.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Channel [V] VJs raiding the Himalayas
Next     : Poll violence: 338 arrested in Kannur