Shyni Mathew may upset rest in mayor race

KOCHI: Two days after the local body election results were declared,  Congress and UDF circles continued with the search to pick the mayor and deputy mayor. The chances of Shyni Mathew,  who has the ‘imported tag’ and money bag charge,  brightened on Monday with a few issues cornering a major mayor probable Grace Babu Jacob, who is the ‘I’ group nominee.

The garlanding of a BJP candidate by the husband of Grace Babu Jacob when he came in a procession during the election campaign in their ward has come as a setback to Grace Babu. She was on the terrace of her house and waved as the procession went.

KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran who was in Kochi on Monday was informed of this by a section in the partymen.  Party circles say that the incident can mar her chances.

Grapevine has it that Gracy Joseph and Soumini Jain are saddened by the surprise entry of Shyni Mathew.

Shyni Mathew is also projected as a relative of  Kochi Bishop. However, Mr Sudheeran has asked the DCC president V.J. Paulose to promote persons who have party base which has boosted Soumini Jain and Gracy Joseph. Mr Sudheeran is understood be aware of  both faction leaders trying to promote Shiny.

The current campaign being raised in Shyni Mathew’s favour is that West Kochi is predominantly a backward area compared to other parts of Kochi and did not have a Mayor for long time. However, fewer  number of UDF councillors from the region has come against her.

T.J. Vinod and K.V.P Krishnakumar surged forth as strong contenders for the deputy mayor post. Late developments on Monday suggested that the Mayor post will go to ‘A’  group and Deputy Mayor to ‘I’ group in which case the chances of Shiny  looked bright while T.J. Vinod will be the deputy.

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