Barely six months after wresting power in the Pala municipality, the coalition arrangement within the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the civic body appears to be unravelling, with the Congress mandalam committee on Sunday endorsing the decision of its councillors to withdraw support to the three-member independent collective.A meeting of the Congress mandalam committee, convened by its president Thomas Nechikkattu here on Sunday, adopted a resolution backing the move to sever ties with the independent collective. “The meeting, in which all six Congress councillors in Pala as well as local-level party leaders took part, unanimously decided not to associate with the independent collective. The decision will be communicated to the Congress leadership at the block, district and State levels, besides the Chief Minister. A copy of the resolution adopted at the meeting will also be submitted,” he said.Mr. Nechikkattu attributed the decision to the collective sentiment among Congress workers to safeguard the party’s self-respect. At the same time, he dismissed speculation that the Congress could explore a tie-up with the Kerala Congress (M), a constituent of the Left Democratic Front (LDF).The long-raging feud within the UDF came to a head on Saturday when the municipal council granted permission to the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) to hold its district conference at the Kottaramattom bus stand. The Congress parliamentary party had earlier resolved to oppose the request and urged Chairperson Diya Binu to defer consideration of the application. However, she declined the request and proceeded with the agenda.‘Proximity to the LDF’In its resolution, the Congress mandalam committee alleged that members of the independent collective had deliberately stayed away from the council meeting at which the issue was discussed, acting in accordance with the interests of the CPI(M) leadership. “The Congress views these actions as a political betrayal,” the resolution said.It also observed that the ‘continuing political proximity’ of the independent collective to the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front had undermined the very basis of their association. “Continuing in the municipal administration alongside a group that had entered into an unholy political alliance with the Left will adversely affect the credibility and dignity of the Congress as a political movement,” it added.Collective’s stanceMeanwhile, the independent collective appeared unfazed by the Congress move and maintained that it had already begun consultations with the UDF leadership. It also pointed out that other UDF councillors too were absent from Saturday’s council meeting. “We have an agreement with the UDF and not just the Congress alone. Any decision on withdrawing support has to come at the coalition level,” Binu Pulikkakandam, leader of the independent collective, said on Sunday.The UDF enjoys only a wafer-thin majority in the 26-member municipal council with 10 councillors comprising six from the Congress, three from the Kerala Congress, and one from the Kerala Democratic Party (KDP). It has managed to retain control of the municipality only with the support of the three-member independent collective and a Congress rebel. Published - July 05, 2026 08:37 pm IST