A suspended Youth Congress leader who independently contested and won the recent local body elections as a rebel candidate against the official United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate has been nominated for the post of Thiruvambady grama panchayat president. Jithin Pallat will take over the key post after a series of conciliatory talks initiated by senior Congress leaders following the verdict.
The Thiruvambady election ended in a tie, with both the UDF and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) securing nine seats each. In a bid to retain control of the panchayat, the District Congress Committee (DCC) offered the post of president to Mr. Pallata as part of a strategic compromise. According to an internal agreement reached, he would be president for the first three years of the council’s term. Thereafter, UDF candidate Bose Jacob would take over the post.
Mr. Pallat contested from Punnakkal ward after he was expelled from the party for rebelling against the official candidate. Despite the disciplinary measures, he was not willing to withdraw his nomination. He won by a decisive margin of 535 votes after a heated election campaign in the UDF stronghold. Local Congress workers who supported his candidacy said that public resentment, particularly opposition to the party’s decision to field a candidate who lived nearly 20 km from the ward, played a key role in his victory.
Mr. Pallat was removed from all leadership positions in the Youth Congress and Karshak Congress after he refused to withdraw his nomination and continued his campaign as an independent. Party sources also revealed that amid his differences with the Congress leadership, the LDF approached him with an offer to field him as its candidate for the post of panchayat president. However, subsequent conciliation by the DCC led to the acceptance of his demands, including his reinstatement.
Mr Pallat recently said the election result reflected voters’ preference for youth leadership and a secular outlook. He also claimed that local workers and Congress leaders strongly supported his campaign and recognized the importance of aligning with local sentiments.
Published – 19 Dec 2025 21:46 IST
