The Hindu : No-confidence motion defeated

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

No-confidence motion defeated

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA June 10. The no confidence motion against the Thiruvalla Municipal chairman, Varghese John (UDF), moved by the LDF was defeated following the abstention of the UDF and BJP councillors from the discussion and voting on it held at the municipal council today.

The motion was moved by the Opposition Leader in the municipal council, Kocheeppan Mappilai (CPI-M) at the council meeting attended by all the 14 members of the LDF.

The Joint Director of Municipalities (in-charge), B.Dinesh Kumar, was the returning officer and the motion was declared defeated as only 14 votes were cast in its favour. It requires not less than 17 votes for the motion to be passed in the 33-member Thiruvalla municipality.

The UDF with 15 members came to power with the support of the four BJP councillors in October 2000 and Mr. Varghese John (KC-M) was elected the municipal chairman.

However, the inordinate delay on the part of the ruling UDF in allotting the two municipal standing committee chairman posts to the BJP on the basis of an understanding reached between the two prior to the election of the chairman, has strained the relationship.

The motion by the LDF was said to be a futile move to exploit the political advantage arising out of the rift between the BJP and the ruling UDF.

Moving the no-confidence motion, Idicula Mappilai levelled allegations of misuse of power, corruption and nepotism against the chairman.

Meanwhile, the BJP national council member, K.R.Prathapachandra Varma, has said that his party would not extend any more support to the UDF in the Thiruvalla municipality as the latter had breached its promise of allotting two standing committee chairman posts to the former.

However, Varma has alleged that the no confidence motion by the LDF was a gimmick and the CPI(M) was not at all serious about it. He said the CPI(M) had sent certain feelers to the BJP camp on Sunday seeking BJP support.

Mr. Varma said the BJP would not support the UDF in Thiruvalla municipality until the promised posts were allotted to it.

However, he said the BJP would extend support to the development activities in the municipality.

Meanwhile, the municipal chairman told reporters here that the charges levelled against him by the LDF did not even deserve a reply.

According to Mr. John, the LDF had never before levelled any charges against him. The defeat of the motion has exposed the hollowness of the LDF allegations, he added.

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