Kochi : Collective demand on part of district leadership, for Mayor's ouster, has put KPCC into dilemma.
The mayor change, demanded several times, if prolonged further shall have huge consequences in coming elections, anti-Soumini faction warned KPCC.
Pro-Soumini group countered this saying , with barely an year left for elections change of guard including Standing Committee chairmaniships, would prove to be disastrous for both Congress and UDF.
Interestingly, the mayor Soumini Jain's supporters and opposors in the corporation, cut across factionalism within Congress, making the situation hard to resolve, for state leadership.
Ruckus around Soumini removal surfaced after UDF fared poorly in the recent by-polls, scraping though with a slim majority.
In the ongoing crisis, with exception of MLAs KV Thomas and PT Thomas, all leaders in the district favour Soumini's ouster.
MPs Hibi Eden and Benny Behnan, former ministers Dominique Presentation and K Babu are irked that, despite collective demand from these stalwarts, Mullappally refuses to show the green flag for mayor change. The indifference could cost UDF loss of corporation rule in coming elections, the leaders warn.
KPCC, on its part, has asked to put the matter to rest for the time being , citing Dy Mayor election due on13th this month. Acute factionalism had cost UDF its majority in Finance Standing Committee, the last time. It also lost Health Standing Committee chairmanship in similar manner.
The state leadership had announced that, change of mayor would mean change of various Standing Committee chairmanships too.
Muslim League member who presently chairs the Standing Committee had opposed this proposition and openly supported Soumini's mayorship.
All these nuances are expected to play out in upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, anti-Soumini faction is of the view that, if UDF tides over Dy Mayor elections safe, Soumini's mayorship will be secure. To them, the hope of supporting opposition's no confidence motion is meaningless, as it has a 6-month wait period. The last motion was moved in September.
In the dramatic buildup so far, six councilors favoring Soumini's mayorship had threatened to resign, should she be removed. Close on heels, five "I" group councilors offered to resign if Soumini continued. "A" faction councilors then demanded action from KPCC against them.
In short it is a no-win situation. A decision for mayor change or otherwise, will eventually see KPCC fielding blame for the brewing discontent and subsequent election result if unfavourable.
