ALAPPUZHA: CPI candidate Remyamol Sajeev was elected vice-president of the Ramankari panchayat in Alappuzha, after defeating CPM candidate Molji Rajesh with the support of the UDF. In the election held on Saturday, Remyamol received seven out of 13 votes, while CPM candidate Molji got five. One vote was declared invalid.

The election was necessitated after UDF’s Sheena Rajappan resigned from the vice-president seat for another Congress member to occupy the post. However, Remyamol filed a nomination, UDF abstained from filing one and instead declared support for the CPI candidate.

In June 2024, CPM rebel and the then panchayat president, R Rajendrakumar, was removed from the post with the help of Congress. Later, Congress member R Rajumon was elected president with the support of CPM members.

Several CPM leaders and workers in Ramankari have joined CPI and other parties in the past few months, due to the factionalism within the party.