3 days ago
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The constrictive electoral mandate for the United Democratic Front successful Pala municipality is facing its archetypal accent test, arsenic factional rifts wrong the ruling conjugation person present spilled into an unfastened confrontation.
The simmering tensions wrong the ruling harvester reached a flashpoint during a gathering connected Friday evening, wherever a heated speech escalated into a scuffle betwixt Congress councillor Biju Mathews and Independent councillor Binu Pulikkakkandam. Following the incident, Mr. Mathews lodged a ailment astatine the Palai constabulary station, accusing Mr. Binu and his brother, Biju Pulikkakkandam, of manhandling him and seeking constabulary protection.
According to Mr. Mathews, the confrontation was triggered by a quality implicit the relocation of an autorickshaw basal successful Pala town. He further alleged that the incidental took spot successful the beingness of municipal chairperson Diya Binu. Tensions escalated erstwhile helium demanded that the contented beryllium included successful the docket of the assembly gathering scheduled for Saturday (June 6, 2026). The connection was backed by a mates of different councillors, which angered Mr. Binu and his brother. Even attempts by the Congress mandalam president to intervene turned futile. In presumption of the stand-off, the assembly gathering was enactment disconnected indefinitely.
The episode, acceptable against the backdrop of increasing discontent wrong the Congress implicit the alleged disproportionate power of Mr. Binu implicit municipal administration, has since snowballed into a afloat blown governmental controversy.
Allegations denied
The Pulikkakkandam brothers person denied the allegations of assault, maintaining that the incidental amounted lone to a verbal altercation. In a associated statement, they said they had nary objection to relocating the autorickshaw basal astatine Kottaramattom, but opposed attempts to allocate it without pursuing owed process. They besides pointed retired that the substance progressive a High Court bid and suggested that the assembly proceed lone aft receiving a written practice from autorickshaw workers.
The section Congress leadership, meanwhile, has brought the incidental to the attraction of the party’s territory and State leadership. “It is unfortunate that a Congress subordinate requires constabulary extortion to enactment successful assembly meetings contempt UDF successful power. It is hard determination up cooperating with specified people. We are awaiting effect from the enactment leadership,” said a elder Congress leader.
The UDF presently governs the 26-member assembly with a slender bulk of 14 seats against the Left Democratic Front’s 12. However, this fragile borderline rests heavy connected the enactment of an Independent bloc comprising 3 members and a Congress rebel.
