UDF in crisis in Pala municipality

Kottayam: Municipal chairperson Diya Binu Pulickakandam alleged that Congress councillor Biju Mathews stole her expensive watch and some official files, a charge that has plunged the UDF administration in Pala municipality into a major crisis.UDF is in office in the municipality only with the backing of three independent councillors from Pulickakandam family, and as an early sign of rift, all three quit UDF’s official WhatsApp group on Wednesday.The trouble began last Friday with a dispute among UDF members in the council over relocating the autorickshaw stand inside Kottaramattom bus stand in Pala town. On Monday, Mathews filed a police complaint, accusing the chairperson’s father, Binu Pulickakandam, and his brother Biju Pulickakandam of assaulting him.On Tuesday, Diya filed a police complaint alleging that her watch had gone missing. In her complaint, Diya alleged that when three police personnel reached the council office, acting on Mathew’s complaint, she wasn’t present at that time. Police, along with Mathews, got her chamber unlocked to inspect the files related to the autorickshaw stand, she alleged.Pala is considered a stronghold of Kerala Congress (Mani), and Congress functionaries, including V D Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala, intervened to secure the municipality under UDF with support from the independent councillors. If the crisis isn't resolved soon, it will require another round of direct intervention by the same functionaries. A failure to do so could inflict a significant political setback for UDF.Senior functionaries are now trying to defuse tensions through talks. The Pulickakandam family has also decided to meet Satheesan and Chennithala to present their grievances. If no settlement is reached, UDF risks losing control of the municipality.