Having lost face over an acrimonious fight involving its three women councillors in Muvattupuzha Municipality, including the vice chairperson, the Congress party seems to be in a damage control mode now.
Plans are afoot to petition the Election Commission demanding disqualification of Prameela Gireesh Kumar on whose petition the Muvattupuzha police had registered a case invoking non-bailable charges, including attempt to murder, against party colleagues Sini Biju, municipal vice chairperson, and Joyce Mary.
It all started with the ouster of welfare standing committee chairman Rajasree Raju of the Congress after a no-confidence motion moved by Ms. Kumar was passed with the support of Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors. Later in that week, a nasty fight erupted involving Ms. Kumar, Ms. Biju, and Ms. Mary within the municipal office premises landing all three on hospital beds.
Muvattupuzha municipal Chairman P.P. Eldhose, however, alleged that Ms. Kumar has a history of indiscipline. “Shortly after the Congress was voted into power, she had cast invalid vote in the election of vice chairperson and then stayed away in the election of the welfare standing committee chairperson. She had always eyed the vice chairperson’s post. She wanted the party to oust her so that the whip didn’t become applicable to her. This time, she had taken the game too far by moving a no-confidence motion against a party standing committee chairperson in violation of the whip. We will petition the Election Commission demanding her disqualification,” he said.
On her part, Ms. Kumar said that she stood firm on her allegations of conspiracy against party colleagues, including the chairman. She said that she remains in the party and hasn’t received notice about any impending action. Ms. Kumar further alleged that the other two councillors had no injuries and were simply staying in the hospital to avert imminent arrest till they secured anticipatory bail.
Both the councillors had moved for anticipatory bail in Ernakulam Sessions Court through lawyer Mathew Kuzhalnadan, MLA.
Ms. Mary said that ultrasound scans had revealed swelling and wounds on the inner wall of her abdomen while Ms. Biju said that she was running a fever and also suffered from back pain and abdomen pain. “The party is fully with us. She (Ms. Kumar) had violated the whip and the party will take action against her,” said Ms. Biju.
Mr. Kuzhalnadan said that the case has been posted for Thursday. Terming the incident as unfortunate, he said that the party leadership was mulling over taking action.
The LDF, meanwhile, has adopted a wait and watch approach with no imminent possibility to wrest power in the 28-member council. “The two councillors booked for attempted murder have no injuries but are being kept admitted by the hospital succumbing to the influence of the MLA,” alleged K.P. Ramachandran, CPI(M) Muvattupuzha area secretary.
