IUML stares at crisis over sharing of vice chairperson’s post in Thrikkakara municipality

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in the Thrikkakara municipality is staring at an imminent crisis over sharing the post of municipal vice chairperson, which is set to fall vacant next month.

The current vice chairperson, P.M. Younus, has informed the party leadership that he will step down on August 4 as per an understanding reached a year ago when he assumed office. At that time, the party and the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) had to humour two Independents as two party councillors — A.A. Ibrahimkutty and Sajeena Akbar — had declined to accept the party whip in the election to the vice chairperson’s post.

Mr. Ibrahimkutty who had been serving as vice chairperson had declined to make way for Mr. Younus in compliance with an intra-party agreement soon after the election and had to make an unceremonious exit after his own party voted against him in a no-trust motion moved by the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Consequently, it was agreed that one of the Independent councillors, Abdu Shana, would be given the post of vice chairperson for six months as a quid pro quo for extending support to the UDF. The remaining one year after his term will be served by another IUML councillor, it was agreed. The other Independent councillor, Varghese P., will get to share the post of the health standing committee chairperson.

Since then, things have turned topsy turvy for the IUML in Ernakulam district as the State leadership of the party dissolved the entire district committee following factionalism. Now, when the vice chairperson’s post was about to get vacant, an opinion had been evolving among a section of IUML councillors against sharing the post with the Independent councillor, said sources.

With less than 10 days to go for the post to fall vacant, it remains to be seen how the party will tackle the issue. Fortunately for the ruling UDF, the imbroglio within the IUML over the vice chairperson’s post holds out little threat, at least for the time being, to its hold over power in the municipality. The UDF enjoys a comfortable majority of 25 councillors, including the support of four councillors, to 18 councillors, including one Independent, backing the LDF.