Former Congress Members Back BJP to Help Independent Win Mattathur Panchayat President Post

In a major political development in Kerala’s local governance, eight councillors who resigned from the Indian National Congress joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party to elect independent candidate Tessy Jose Kallarakkal as the president of Mattathur Grama Panchayat on Saturday.

Mattathur panchayat has 24 wards, of which the United Democratic Front won eight, the Left Democratic Front secured 10, the National Democratic Alliance won four, and two seats were taken by independent candidates.

The LDF fielded independent councillor Ouseph as its candidate for the president’s post, while the UDF supported Tessy Jose Kallarakkal. Tessy emerged victorious with the backing of eight former Congress members and three BJP councillors.

Explaining their decision, former Congress ward member Linto Pallipparambil said the group resigned from the party in protest against the failure of district and block-level leadership to address internal disputes. He alleged that problems began during the candidate selection process and intensified after the election results were announced.

Meanwhile, the political fallout continued within the Congress. KPCC president Sunny Joseph suspended DCC general secretary T M Chandran and mandalam president Shafi Kalluparambil for allegedly acting against party decisions.

The development highlights growing internal tensions within the Congress at the grassroots level in Kerala and underscores the shifting political equations in local self-government institutions.