Rebel keeps Congress, LDF waiting in Kannur
The Kannur DCC is ready to accept P K Ragesh’s all other demands but has refused him the deputy mayor post
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-11-18 07:00 GMT
KANNUR: P. K. Ragesh, the Congress rebel who won the local body elections, has sought time till Wednesday to decide on his stand on the mayor election to be held on Wednesday. The Kannur DCC has refused to offer him the deputy mayor post. “We are ready to accept all his other demands. He has sought time till tomorrow morning,” a senior Congress office-bearer told DC.
The district party leaders conducted several meetings throughout the day chalking out plans to get the support of Mr Ragesh. However, the Indian Union Muslim League was not ready to give up the deputy mayor’s post.
“We have explained the situation to him as we have to honour the pre-poll arrangements,” the leader added. The CPM is also lobbying for Mr Ragesh’s support to capture power.
The election result was a shocker for the UDF with its rivals winning an equal number of wards in the newly-formed corporation. Both the UDF and the LDF have won 27 seats each.
Mr Ragesh, who won as a Congress rebel, has become the deciding factor. Mr Ragesh and three others were dismissed from the Congress for their anti-party stand and KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran had stated that the Congress would not take them back.
However, the district unit of the party had to go against his words to convince Mr Ragesh to return to the party to rule the corporation.
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