The allocation of a rest room, exclusively for women, had become a controversy following the resignation of senior councillor Pramila Shashidharan of the BJP from the post of the district secretary protesting against her party's decision not to cooperate with the move.

Pramila Shashidharan had stated that it was with the permission of BJP district president C Krishnakumar that she had begun collecting the signatures of the 28 woman councillors in the municipality.

However, while the 21 woman councillors from the CPM and the Congress signed the memorandum, the seven BJP woman councillors failed to sign it stating that the party had not directed them to do so.

However, C Krishnakumar had said he was not against the allotment of a separate room for ladies and it was the municipal chairman who had to do it.

At a council meeting held here on Tuesday, BJP district president C Krishnakumar, who is also a councillor, introduced resolution demanding a separate room for ladies.

Though, municipal chairman Abdul Khudoos, who presided over the meet, said the issue could be taken up at the next council meeting, the councillors, cutting across party lines, wanted the decision to be taken immediately.

The council members then unanimously passed the resolution to provide a separate rest room for women.