The commenter Wise owl of Wiltshire made the following very interesting remarks on my last post about Ohid and Lutfur falling out:
I understand from a good source our humble Mayor is discussing a reshuffle. Apparently Ohid is going to be booted out of cabinet. Four main reasons: 1) sheer incompetence and inability to manage his brief, 2) constant moaning about NOT getting enough media attention and interference in EEL, 3) irritating Lutfur about being treated as the mayor’s equal.
He or she included a fourth reason which I’ve deleted for legal reasons but the suggestion that Lutfur is planning a reshuffle must have some merit, not just because of G(h)ulam Robbani’s likely victory in Spitalfields tomorrow (by the way, there is a very interesting leaflet circulating about him in Spitalfields at the moment, and if there is any element of truth to its details, his victory will backfire massively not only on him but also on Lutfur in a very serious way).
Robbani, who styles himself as a social care expert and previously worked for the council in that area, will probably want a cabinet position. To sack Ohid from the deputy mayor position might well be a step too far, not least because he is close to Lutfur’s moneybag, Shiraj Haque.
But where to put Robbani? Oli Rahman currently looks after Children’s Services (and has the poisoned chalice task of bringing youth services back in-house, a very odd decision by Lutfur for which he has yet to give any financial justification…), while Labour rebel Abdul Asad looks after Adult Healthcare.
It will be a conundrum for Lutfur and I don’t know what the answer is. However, there is a wider point.
I’m told by someone in the town hall who observes these things closely that there is growing disillusionment within the ranks of Lutfur’s independents. Oli Rahman, Rania Khan and Lutfa Begum have always acted together, both within Respect and then as SWP-backed Respect rebels, then as Labour members and now as independents.
I imagine they were less than impressed by Lutfur’s decision to endorse former Respect leader Abjol Miah in Weavers: Abjol once infamously yelled in apparently rather nasty way at Lutfa Begum during a Respect meeting. It’s interesting how few independents have copied Lutfur’s endorsement. Did Lutfur consult Oli, Lutfa and Rania about backing Abjol? I very much doubt it and that would be in keeping with the autocratic way he runs his mayoralty. My hunch is that this group of three are beginning to feel used; they could even be regretting their expulsion from Labour. Labour rebel Shahed Ali is also bright enough to realise what’s going on.
In fact, if I were Labour, I’d be dangling some carrots their way.
Trial by Jeory 
Interesting account of the current situation of Lutfur’s Mayoralty. Naturally the result in Spitalfields will help shed some light on voting turnout during a lonely by-election as opposed to Abjol’s ambition to return to the Town Hall on the same day as London goes to the polls to elect its next London Mayor.
It is pretty much common knowledge now that Ohid is unhappy not to have any delegated executive power as Lutfur’s deputy. I doubt the rest of the cabinet is happy about Lutfur’s complete ignorance of consulting with his cabinet members on decisions he takes both at the Town Hall, and outside such endorsing Abjol whom lets face it, was a complete waste of space with an over-inflated ego during his four year tenure as councillor!
Oli is not stupid. Your analysis of him commanding a ship of three inclusive of mother and daughter duo Lutfa and Rania is correct, they are not fans of Abjol. However, there is a way for Lutfur to overide Oli on this? Lutfa loves to promote her daughter Rania so an offer of Deputy Mayor to Rania would be lucrative leaving Oli out on a limb. Rania is not bothered about holding executive powers as the case happens to be with Ohid. Lutfur would also use his PR machine to promote himself as having a more gender proportionate cabinet.
Shahed Ali was stupid for loosing his profile in the Labour camp having been probably the most publicly outspoken councillor against the ‘Yes’ vote referendum and against Lutfur Rahman’s bid to become mayor. I do believe Shahed genuinely cares about the community, especially as his track record demonstrates in the role he played at planning meetings. Could he possibly become the fall-guy in Lutfur’s cabinet reshuffle in order to accommodate Robbani? Shahed would not be happy about loosing his cabinet position when the likes of Asad, Shafiq and Rafiq remain. Being the brightest of this lot, it would be an embarassment for him to be relieved of duty whilst the three idiots remain. But what could he hope to achieve back in the Labour group after having deserted their way of doing things. He simply would not be trusted but equally a frustrated man who may just seek a way back into the Labour group.
A
“I do believe Shahed genuinely cares about the community” … This is the Cllr who is rarely in the country and very rarely in Tower Hamlets. The guy who never turned up to his ward meetings and the Cllr who never holds his public surgeries to the point where even pro Lutfur members wanted shot of him? Please.
Care to let us know what is in this leaflet that is being circulated? If it is in the public domain already would you be liable if you repeated whatever the allegations are?
It seems that this speculation is being bought on by non other that Anon 1 (Mr Privitisation aka Alibor). Its becoming very clear that he would like to be the Deputy and would DEMAND Executive Powers from Lutfur!
Ohid is a decent Deputy….doesn’t matter what anyone says he has NOT damanded anything from anyone…so why the hysteria.
Get up giuys and SMELL THE COFFEE. This COFFEE is being brewed by those with mega ambition…..Mr Privitisation at it again!!!!
lol
So who is likely to come second in today’s election?
This stuff isn’t particularly interesting. TH Labour politicians have for decades mouthed off about each other after minor, trivial spats. In any case, I wouldn’t be surprised if all these rumours were bollocks. The leadership of the council, up until 2010, changed every other year, that was the whole point of having the mayoral system – and at least now we can have some continuity in policy making.
Far more interesting to me is the talk of change at the top of the rump Labour group, widely expected at the Group AGM which is due to be held in early May. This – on the other hand – could actually deliver a sea-change that actually affects people.
But for now – quit the squabbling, guys. We’ve got an arrogant toff to oust who’s delivered sweet FA for Londoners. Time to get behind Ken and get London moving forward again.
Lutfur must be seriously worried after the narrow win by Robbani. Lutfur has campaigned almost every day for the last few weeks for Robbani and even went out begging for votes. He even made deals with some of the community centres by awarding them grants to buy their postal votes. If this is the best Lutfur can do in his own backyard then he should be seriously worried, it clearly shows that he will have a slim chance at the next mayoral election!
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