CM Chandy finds no setback in civic poll

Thiruvananthapuram: Smarting under the resignation drama of Finance Minister K.M. Mani on Tuesday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy put up a brave face at the KPCC office-bearers’ meeting on Wednesday saying that the party had not suffered any setback in the local bodies’ poll as projected.

In defence,  he said there was only a percentage difference between the LDF and UDF’s vote share. However, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala  said defeat should be seen as defeat and nothing else.

Mr Chandy urged the leaders to gear up for the Assembly elections next year.  Mr K. Muraleedharan MLA criticised the Congress stand on the resignation of  Mr  K. M. Mani and said the party had not observed the coalition ethics.

The meeting felt that tie-up with the rebels in the local bodies should be at the local level only. But KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran had said there would not be any truck with the rebels and appointed KPCC general secretary Sajiv Joseph to prepare a report on the reasons for the rebel menace in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Malappuram and  Wayanad districts.

The Wayanad DCC leadership demanded an inquiry into the death of DCC secretary P. V. John who was found hanging in the office after coming fourth in the local polls. The  KPCC executive is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday which will discuss the post-Mani resignation situation and the local bodies’ poll outcome in detail.

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