HARROW Council's leader last night survived a bid from former colleagues to oust him from his post in a council chamber showdown.
Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, who has broken away from the Labour group with eight others to form an Independent Labour group, was subject of a motion proposing his removal as leader that was proposed by the same Labour members at yesterday evening's full council meeting at Harrow Civic Centre in Station Road, Harrow.
All of the Labour group who were present supported the motion while the Independent Labour group, the Conservative group and Labour-turned-Independent Councillor David Gawn opposed it.
Independent Councillor James Bond, ex-Tory and current Independent Councillor Stanley Sheinwald and the sole Liberal Democrat councillor, Chris Noyce, all abstained. Labour's Councillor Sasikala Suresh was absent.
Consequently, the motion failed and Mr Idaikkadar remains leader of a minority Independent Labour administration. 
The Conservative group leader, Councillor Susan Hall, and her deputy, Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane, have been appointed non-executive members of the otherwise Independent Labour cabinet committee which meets for the first time on Tuesday. 
The composition of the council is nine Independent Labour, 25 Conservatives, 25 Labour, one Liberal Democrat and three Independents.