Chaos over M M Mani at Council meet

KOZHIKODE: Chaos marred the council meeting of the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation on Tuesday over adjournment motion notices by the opposition demanding the resignation of Electricity Minister M M Mani whose discharge petition in a murder case was rejected by the court. The council meeting got over in under 15 minutes, passing all items on the agenda, as the Mayor denied permission to the motions amidst protests, shouting and a walkout.

When the council meeting started, the Mayor read out the notices for adjournment motion given by UDF councillor P.M Suresh Babu and BJP councillor Nambidi Narayanan, both demanding the resignation of M.M Mani. However, Mayor Thottahil Raveendran said that he was denying permission to both motions using his discretionary powers and instead invited LDF member P.C Rajan to present his motion on plan fund utilisation.

Opposition councillor C Abdu Rahiman objected to the Mayor’s decision while UDF councillors moved to the well of the council and shouted slogans against the Mayor. The BJP members, meanwhile, staged a walkout protesting the Mayor’s decision. The council passed the motion moved by PC Rajan on including new proposals replacing the old proposals under the annual plan programmes and agenda items amidst chaos. The council also passed a motion moved by CPM councillor K Nisha who sought the intervention of the Mayor to take immediate steps the save the clay industry as the dearth of raw materials had hit the industry adversely.