Malappuram: In a huge setback to the ruling UDF in Kottakkal municipality, Muhsina Poovanmadathil, who stood as a rebel Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate, won the election to the post of chairperson on Wednesday.

Muhsina defeated the official candidate Dr Haneesha. IUML leadership had asked the incumbent chairperson Bushra Shabeer to resign from the post following the flaring up of internal factionalism.

IUML fielded Dr Haneesha, a homoeopath, from the Kottakkal Town ward as their official candidate. However, a section of the IUML councillors voted against the official candidate. Muhsina got 15 votes and 13 votes were polled against her. There are 32 councillors in the municipality and some have refrained from the election.