New local body heads take charge in Kozhikode

Milli Mohan and K.K. Navas of the United Democratic Front (UDF) were on Saturday (December 27) elected as president and vice-president, respectively, of the Kozhikode district panchayat. Nominees of the UDF and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) also shared the top posts in some block panchayats and grama panchayats after a draw of lots was held there in view of a hung electoral verdict.

While Ms. Mohan, member from Kodenchery, and Mr. Navas, member from Nadapuram, got 15 votes each, their rival candidates from the LDF, P. Sharuthi (Pantheerankavu) and Anchitha Sanoop (Kadalundi), got 13 votes each.

Kottayil Radhakrishnan of the UDF was elected as the president of the Vadakara block panchayat after an LDF member reportedly voted in favour of him during the draw of lots process. The post of vice-president here has gone to the LDF’s Preethi Mohan. Both the LDF and the UDF had won seven seats each here. It is suspected that one of the elected members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal could have cross-voted for the UDF. This is a significant development considering the intense rivalry between the LDF and the UDF-Revolutionary Marxist Party alliance in the region.

In the Perambra block panchayat, Mini Vattakkandi and Vaheeda Paremmal of the UDF were elected as president and vice-president, respectively. Ismail Kurumboyil of the LDF was elected as the president of the Balussery block panchayat, and Fathima Shanavas of the UDF was elected as vice-president.

Candidates of the UDF won the post of president in Nanminda and Kottur grama panchayats, while nominees of the LDF won the top post in Thiruvallur and Moodadi grama panchayats. The post of vice-president in Nanminda, Kottur, and Moodadi has gone to the LDF. The UDF nominee won the post in Thiruvallur. However, UDF has challenged the election of the president in Moodadi, saying that the vote polled by one of the LDF members was invalid. Former Youth Congress leader Jithin Pallat, who contested and won the election against the UDF’s official nominee, was elected president of the Thiruvambady grama panchayat as part of a deal between him and the district Congress leadership. He will continue in the post for three years, after which Bose Jacob of the Congress will assume the charge.