Helped by PV Anvar, UDF wrests rule of Malappuram's Chungathara panchayat from LDF

Malappuram: The LDF lost the rule of Chungathara Panchayat near Nilambur here on Tuesday after a ruling party member supported a non-confidence motion introduced by the UDF. Nusaiba Sudheer of LDF supported the opposition's move in the panchayat, where UDF and LDF have 10 members each. 

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former MLA P V Anvar orchestrated the move by persuading Nusaiba, the wife of TMC assembly constituency convener Sudheer Punnapala, to vote in favour of UDF motion against Panchayat President Reena.  

Earlier, CPM leaders alleged that they were not able to contact Nusaiba, sparking rumours that she might switch allegiance. 

"I have given one more gift to UDF. There will be changes in many more panchayats in the future", P V Anvar said. 

Meanwhile, Congress leaders also offered support to Anvar. "We will retrieve each local body through P V Anvar, which LDF won with his support.  If the CPM attempts to attack Anvar over this, the Congress party will politically protect him, and no one will be able to touch him", Malappuram DCC President V S Joy said.

Ahead of the no-confidence motion, LDF and UDF workers clashed following a march conducted by the CPM. Further escalating the situation, TMC workers also got involved in the issue. 

LDF and UDF won ten seats each in the panchayat in the last local body elections. UDF’s Valsala Sebastian was elected by lot to the president post. However, a shift in allegiance by UDF member Najmunnisa helped LDF to regain control with Reena elected to the post. Najmunnisa was later disqualified, but UDF reclaimed the seat in the subsequent by-election.