KOCHI: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran, who will be in Kochi on Saturday, is expected to discuss the stalemate in the ruling Congress in the city Corporation over the demand for a change of guard.
Town planning committee chairperson Shainy Mathew, who was reportedly offered the mayor’s post as per an earlier pact, has threatened to resign in protest against the delay in effecting it. She informed her decision to top Congress leaders including K.V Thomas, MP, and UDF convener Benny Behenan, who asked her to wait till Saturday when the KPCC chief has agreed to intervene in the matter.
Ms Mathew told DC that no decision has been taken though discussions have been going on for several months. “It is a humiliation for me as the party leaders are not taking a decision,” she said. “They should make their stand clear whether I should continue or not. As per the agreement made after the elections, the mayor has to be replaced after two and half years. I have expressed my willingness to quit if the party leadership is not adhering to the agreement.”
Even though a seven- member sub committee was formed to resolve the internal feud over the change of leadership in the UDF-led civic bodies, it failed to resolve the impasse in Kochi corporation. However, Kalamassery municipal chairperson Jessy Peter had to quit as per the election agreement.
As Ms Mathew has openly stated her dissatisfaction, the party leadership is now compelled to take an immediate decision. If the mayor has to be replaced, there will be changes in the posts of deputy mayor and standing committee chairpersons. However, maintaining the group and caste equation will be a challenging task and it will not be easy for the leadership to finalise the names.
