Kottayam: India’s youngest municipal chairperson, 21-year-old Diya Binu Pulikkakandam, was voted out of office on Tuesday after a no-confidence motion against her was passed in the Pala Municipality, bringing down the UDF-backed administration amid a deepening internal rift within the Congress.
The motion was carried unanimously by the 17 councillors present in the 26-member council.
All 17 voted in favour of the motion, including the 12 LDF councillors, four Congress councillors who defied the party whip, and Independent Vice-Chairperson Maya Rahul.
With no votes cast against the motion, the UDF lost control of the municipality. The fall of the administration marks the culmination of weeks of infighting within the UDF.
The Congress had increasingly distanced itself from the independent group led by Diya Binu, with a section of its councillors refusing to continue the alliance.
Sensing an opportunity, the LDF moved the no-confidence motion, banking on the widening cracks in the ruling front.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had issued a whip directing its councillors not to take any action that would result in the loss of the UDF administration.
However, four Congress councillors ignored the directive and attended the meeting, voting with the opposition.
District UDF leaders later expressed strong displeasure over the development and warned of stringent disciplinary action against those who violated the party whip.
The UDF administration had enjoyed the support of 14 members, including the three-member Pulikkakandam family, Congress, Kerala Congress (Joseph) and independents.
The coalition began to unravel after the Congress formally withdrew its support to Diya Binu’s independent group, triggering the political crisis that ultimately led to Tuesday’s vote.
Following the outcome, Diya Binu accepted the verdict, saying she respected the democratic process.
In a statement, she maintained that no allegations of corruption, misuse of public funds, bribery, nepotism or illegal conduct had ever been levelled against her.
“The greatest strength in public life is not power, but values,” she said, adding that she would continue to serve the public as an elected councillor.
(IANS)
