Kochi: Change of guard likely in civic body

Kochi: Strong moves are afoot for a possible leadership change in the Kochi Corporation, two-and-a-half years after the Soumini Jain--led UDF council came to power. The grapevine is that Mayor Soumini Jain, Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod and members of a few standing committees might be replaced soon.

The top names being considered for the mayor’s post are Town Planning Committee chairperson Shainy Mathew and Health Committee chairperson V.K. Minimol.

K.R Prem Kumar and T.D Martin are in the race for the deputy mayor post. Though senior leader of the ‘A’ faction, A.B. Sabu, can be a good choice, he might not be selected as it will change the group equation.

Maintaining the group and caste equation will be a challenging task and it will not be easy for the Congress leadership to finalise the names. Though Congress leaders in the district are yet to make any statement on the demand for a change in leadership, there are chances for a reshuffle, according to sources.  

Last year, when factional feud was intense within the ruling party in the corporation council, a section of party leaders, both from ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups, was active in campaigning against Soumini Jain. 

The dissidents, who were dissatisfied with the alleged “autocratic” approach of the mayor, said that there was an agreement for sharing the mayor post between the ‘A’ and ‘I’ factions.

But the then KPCC chief V.M. Sudheeran categorically rejected the demand and the campaign stage-managed by a section of Congress leaders turned futile. 

Later, factionalism was ironed out, though only at the surface level, and the voices of dissidents were subdued for long.