KOLLAM: Despite being asked to wait till 10th of this month, CPI has resigned from posts including deputy mayor's post from Kollam Corporation without giving in. The CPM district leadership had instructed Mayor Prasanna Ernst to resign after the council meeting scheduled for 10th, after calling a press conference to explain the development projects completed so far. There has also been plans to inaugurate some projects before that.

Although the CPM raised the issue of extending the resignation during the bilateral discussion held on Tuesday, the CPI did not give in. Thursday morning, the CPI district center convened and demanded that the mayor resign today itself. It also warned that the deputy mayor and two standing committee chairmen would resign if the mayor didn't resign. When the mayor's resignation was not received till evening, the CPI members handed over the resignation letter to the corporation secretary.

Meanwhile, the CPM is trying to prevent things from going out of hand as local elections are being held this year. It is indicated that the mayor will resign from the post on 10th. However, the CPM leaders are angry that the CPI has decided to resign without giving in to their demand. If the CPM takes the stand of not giving in to the CPI's sudden move, it will lead to a fight between the two parties.

As per the agreement, the CPI was offered the post of mayor for the last one year. However, the CPI wrote a letter to the district secretary two weeks ago demanding that the post be handed over now.

CPM has a majority to rule alone

Even if the CPI withdraws support to the governing body in addition to resigning from the posts. 28 of the 55-member council are CPM representatives. There was a strong demand within the party not to hand over the mayor's post as it had the majority to govern alone. However, as the CPI intensified pressure, the CPM district leadership gave in. Since its formation, the Kollam Corporation has been governed by the LDF. The mayor's post was held by the CPM for five years during the first two governing committees. After the RSP left the front, the mayor's post was given to the CPI for the last one year of the last two governing committees.