All eyes on Independent collective at Pala

Even as new local body members are set to take oath on Sunday, the deadlock over formation of a new administrative council refuses to fade away with the ‘Independent collective’ led by Pulikkakandam family yet to make up its mind.

With no political party achieving a simple majority in the 26-member council, the stance of the three-member collective is crucial in deciding the new chairperson. The council comprises 12 members from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), 10 from the United Democratic Front (UDF), and one Independent member, in addition to the three members of the Independent Collective, Binu Pulikkakandam, his brother Biju Pulikkakandam and Mr. Binu’s daughter Diya Binu.

The collective has convened a ‘Janasabha’ (people’s forum) of wards 13, 14 and 15 from where they won the election, after the oath-taking ceremony on Sunday. The collective will decide on its political stance based on its outcome.

While speculations are rife that the collective is likely to support the UDF, given that the UDF did not field candidates in these three wards, it has dismissed any such commitments. Recently, the UDF asserted that it has secured the support of the Pulikkakandam family and even staged a victory celebraion a Pala. It since have backed out following uncertainity over the collective’s stance.

In 2020, the LDF, with the backing of the Jose K Mani-led Kerala Congress (M), won the Pala municipality for the first time in its history. This time, however, no coalition holds a majority, resulting in a hung council.

Sources said the collective is likely to claim chairperson post for Diya Binu in the first term, to both UDF and the LDF. Meanwhile, it is learnt that KC(M) is disinterested in tying up with Binu, as he had consistently attacked Jose K. Mani during the previous term, despite him being part of the LDF at the time.