Munnar hopes for stability after a term of defections, power struggle
The Munnar grama panchayat is hoping for a rare stretch of stability. The last five years have been marked by political turbulence, with five different presidents taking turns at the helm.
Munnar is a popular tourist destination, but the panchayat regularly witnesses hours-long traffic jams and lacks parking facilities. The absence of a bus stand and inconvenience to tourists are among the major concerns.
“Even though there are hundreds of hotels and resorts here,there are no proper waste treatment plants or sewage plants. Wild elephants eating plastic-mixed waste at a panchayat-managed waste treatment plant at Kallar is a regular occurrence,” says a tourism stakeholder. The waste treatment plant at Kallar is not yet full-fledged.
The number of wards in the panchayat has decreased to 20 from 21 after delimitation. Most of the voters here are tea plantation workers, with Tamil voters being the decisive factor.
In the 2020 local body elections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) secured the majority by winning 11 of the 21 seats, and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) 10 seats. However, in January 2022, two UDF members, Praveena Ravikumar and M. Rajendran, defected to the LDF tipping the balance of power. Ms. Ravikumar then became president and Mr. Rajendran vice-president.
No-trust motion
This was followed by a series of defections. In August 2022, Thankamudy of the Communist Party of India (CPI) joined the UDF, and in February 2023, V. Balachandran, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] member, followed suit. The UDF, sensing an opportunity, called for a no-confidence motion. But just before the motion, the panchayat secretary received Mr. Rajendran’s resignation letter. Later, Mr. Rajendran alleged that his signature had been forged. The State Election Commission (SEC) allowed him to retain his post while the matter was under review.
In October 2023, the SEC officially disqualified Ms. Ravikumar and Mr. Rajendran for switching parties, following which the Congress won the no-trust motion. However, its one vote became invalid, resulting in a tie. Then, the Congress’ Deepa Rajkumar became president through a draw.
Later, she was disqualified after lapses was found in the draw, resulting in the LDF’s Jyothy Satheeshkumar becoming the panchayat chief. Six months later, theUDF reclaimed power with Ms. Rajkumar as president.
Later, Ms. Rajkumar submitted resignation. However, she soon retracted, alleging coercion. She submitted a second letter, claiming that her resignation was made under duress and that the signature had been forged by Congress workers.
The panchayat secretary forwarded both the letters to the SEC, which allowed her to continue in office. Subsequently, the Congress members moved a no-trust motion, forcing Ms. Rajkumar to step down. In May 2025, Congress’ M. Manimozhi became the president.
CPI(M) district secretariat member K.V. Sasi says “the LDF aims to gain power in the panchayat with a strong margin. If it comes to power, the front will improve amenities and take steps to control the rush in the town.”
Congress block committee president S. Vijayakumar says “the Congress aims to provide development-oriented administration in Munnar. Proper waste treatment plants and parking facilities are our main concerns.”
Bharatiya Janata Party Munnar panchayat in-charge Balamurukan says “bus stands, parking facilities, and waste management systems are our priority.”
Published – November 23, 2025 12:19 am IST
