Kochi: Kunneparambu East councillor Shaji Vazhakkala, 43, of the Congress was on Monday elected chairman of the Thrikkakara municipality, ending six long months of bitter standoff between the ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups in the party.
Shaji who received all 30 votes of the UDF defeated Nilampathinjimugal councillor and CPM candidate Mohanan who got 12 out of 13 votes of the LDF. Deputy collector M Latha was the presiding officer.
K.K. Siraj of the CPM could not vote as an election case, challenging his victory was pending. Shaji’s name was proposed by his rival and ‘A’ group leader P.I. Mohammedali. Shaji took the oath of office, immediately after the election.
The Thrikkakara municipality, considered one of the richest in the state, houses the civil station, which is the headquarters of the district administration, besides the Infopark, several private IT companies, Cochin Special Economic Zone and a number of residential high risers.
Immediately after the polls, 19 members of the ‘A’ group left the council hall without waiting to congratulate the new chairman as per the practice, indicating that all was still not well between the two factions.
The candidature of Shaji, the nominee of the five-member strong ‘I’ group, got the approval of the 20-member strong ‘A’ group only on Sunday evening following high drama and hectic parleys initiated by Benny Behanan, MLA. A whip was subsequently issued to all Congress councilors to vote for Shaji.
The ‘A’ group had earlier insisted that it should be given the post of the works standing committee chairperson as per the agreement under which Mohammedali relinquished the chairman post. Sources said that the ‘I’ group agreed to the suggestion at Saturday’s meeting but sought some more time.
