The UDF parliamentary party has decided to authorise the district leadership to name its candidate for the August 19 chairperson election. The LDF has 10 councillors from the Kerala Congress (M) and two from the CPI(M), while the UDF had six Congress councillors, three from the Kerala Congress (Joseph) and one from the Kerala Democratic Party led by Mani C. Kappan. However, with five UDF councillors having broken ranks and aligned with the opposition, the LDF-rebel combine now has the backing of 17 councillors. The arrangement began to unravel after differences emerged between the Independent Collective and Congress councillors. Four Congress councillors and Ms. Rahul backed the motion moved by the LDF, which brought down the chairperson.