PALA: The no-confidence motion brought by the opposition against Pala Municipality Chairman Shaju V. Thuruthan was passed with the support of the ruling party. The unusual incident of ruling party members voting against the Chairman occurred when Shaju, a representative of the Kerala Congress (M), did not resign as agreed earlier.

Nine members from the opposition and 14 from the ruling party participated in the no-confidence motion discussion. However, the opposition abstained from the vote. The ruling party councillors voted in favour of the motion. Shaju, who was in the hospital due to a physical illness, and ruling party members Sheeba Geo and Adv. Binu Pulikakandam did not participate. There are 26 members in total. LDF has 17 and UDF has 9. The party composition is as follows: Kerala Congress M: 10, CPM: 6, CPI: 1, Congress: 5, Kerala Congress Joseph: 3, UDF Independent: 1.

"We are not happy that the chairman had to be removed through no-confidence. This is to maintain the discipline and agreement of the party."

-Prof. Lopez Mathew,

Kerala Con.(M) District President

"Time will tell if what some newcomers in the party, which I trusted for 47 years, did to me was fairness. I had asked for time till March 31st."

- Shaju V. Thuruthan