Janpaksham loses power in Poonjar Thekkekara

About six months after it was ousted from power in the Poonjar Thekkekara grama panchayat, the LDF has finally succeeded in uprooting the Kerala Janapaksham from power in the local body with the support of the UDF. A no-confidence motion, moved by the LDF against the ruling council led by the Janapaksham, here on Monday also received support from the Congress and the Kerala Congress members in the Panchayat council. As many as eight members supported the motion while two out of the six Janapaksham members abstained from the proceedings. In the 14-member local body council, LDF has only five members as against the six members from the Janapaksham. The Congress has two seats, while the Kerala Congress (M) has just one member in the council. According to sources, the stance of the UDF members helped the LDF- the principal opposition here, in paying back the regional party in its own coin. Interestingly, the UDF had also supported a no-confidence motion moved by the Janapaksham against the LDF in December last year, The passing of the motion also serves a major jolt to the PC George–led outfit, already shaken by attrition of workers and a below par performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The Janapaksham attributed the success of the motion to an unholy nexus involving the Left and the UDF against the National Democratic Alliance. The Congress, on the other hand, maintained that it had supported the move so as to prevent the communal forces from holding power. Both Poonjar Thekkekara and Poonjar panchayats had been ruled by the LDF till December last year with support from the Janapaksham, based on a power-sharing agreement. The discontent between the two outfits first came to the fore when the PC George led outfit withdrew support to the LDF over the Sabarimala fiasco. The regional party also nursed grievances against the CPI(M)for its concerted attack against the Poonjar Cooperative Service Society.