Factional equations, community balance shape Congress’ deputy mayor choice in Kochi
Group affiliations within the Congress are shaping discussions over potential contenders for the post of deputy mayor ahead of the July 29 election. The post
Group affiliations within the Congress are shaping discussions over potential contenders for the post of deputy mayor ahead of the July 29 election. The post fell vacant after incumbent Deepak Joy resigned on May 13, shortly after being elected as Thripunithura MLA. It has remained vacant since, drawing criticism from the opposition Left Democratic Front, which alleged an administrative impasse as the deputy mayor also chairs the crucial finance standing committee of the Corporation. The Congress had earlier allotted split terms of two-and-a-half years each to Mr. Joy and K.V.P. Krishnakumar, representing the ‘A’ and ‘I’ factions respectively.
A similar arrangement is in place for the Mayor’s post, with Congress councillors V.K. Minimol and Shiny Mathew sharing the position. Krishnakumar, who has been chairing meetings in the absence of a deputy mayor, has entered the fray banking on his seniority and the fact that he had already been chosen for the post under the split-term agreement. However, the ‘A’ group leadership, led by former MLA K. Babu, is insistent on securing the post for the remainder of the term.
They argue that since Mayor V.K. Minimol belongs to the ‘I’ faction, both prominent posts cannot be held by the same faction simultaneously. Shiny Mathew of the ‘I’ faction is set to succeed her in the second term under a similar arrangement. Several names are being considered within the ‘A’ faction. V.R. Sudheer, representing the Elamakkara South division and a four-time councillor, tops the list of contenders. He is also the most senior among them. P.D. Martin, a two-time councillor, M.G. Aristotle, a three-time councillor, and Henry Austin, a two-time councillor, are among the other names being discussed.
Community considerations may also influence the choice. Since Ms. Minimol belongs to the Latin Catholic community, the new deputy mayor is unlikely to be selected from the same community. The Ernakulam District Congress Committee is yet to convene a parliamentary party meeting to deliberate on the issue.
The BriefWire