Dr Niji Justin (in the photo) was accused of paying 'bags of money' to buy mayor post.
Thiruvananthapuram: Stoking a scandal storm which hit the Congress party hard, a councilor from the party in Kerala’s Thrissur claimed that her fellow councilor in the Thrissur Corporation paid bags of money to get mayorship, while voting for the post of president/chairperson/mayor in local bodies is slated for Friday, The Indian Express reported.
The four-time councilor, Laly James, alleged that councilor-elect Dr. Niji Justin paid senior leaders for the top seat in the corporation
It was on Thursday that the Thrissur district leadership of the national party selected Dr Niji Justin, a vice president of the DCC, for the post of mayor in the corporation. Congress-led UDF had wrested the corporation from LDF after a decade.
Following Niti Justin getting chosen, Laly told the media that the Congress party wanted money, and therefore the party went for the rich Laly’s bid.
“The party wants money. I think the party has gone after money. I have no money but only hard work. Her (Niji’s) family is rich. I can only work for the party. I was told that leaders are running with money bags. I don’t know where the money has gone. People are asking me whether this post can be obtained after paying money. I have no money. I hail from a farming family,” TIE quoted.
She continued that she will not vote for Niji but for the Congress party.
“If the party takes any disciplinary action, I will teach the leaders what discipline is,” TIE quoted her.
However, the latest reports are that Dr Niji became the mayor of the corporation after ‘dramatic events’.