MALAPPURAM: CPM member KT Rubeena, who was elected as the standing committee chairperson of Vettam panchayat with the support of the Welfare Party. The local leadership of the Welfare Party says that the support was based on the local developments. But the CPM said it did not seek support and that the Welfare Independent member voted.

The welfare standing committee has five members. The members were two for the LDF, two for the UDF and one for the Welfare Party. Shamla Subair KT, a member of the Welfare Party, voted for KT Rubeena in the chairperson voting. With the vote of the Welfare Party member, the CPM won by three votes to two and the part member was elected chairperson of the standing committee.

In Vettam panchayath, which has 20 members, LDF has nine members, UDF has ten and the Welfare Party has one member. The Welfare Party abstained from the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.