KOCHI: The conciliatory meeting called by DCC President V J Paulose to resolve the standoff between Mayor Soumini Jain and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) councillors P M Haris and T K Ashraf failed to yield results on Friday, as the IUML councillors refused to accept the suggestions of the Congress leadership. Another meeting has been called next week to end the impasse.After the meeting, Paulose, however, denied that there was any big issue in the party.
“It is just a difference of opinion among members. It can be solved soon. We have directed the Mayor to hold weekly steering committee meetings with alliance party members,” he said, adding,” However, some of IUML’s recommendations were unacceptable for the Mayor, due to which another meeting was scheduled for next week.” IUML members had complained about Jain’s working style, terming her administration ‘autocratic’.
K V Thomas said there should be transparency in every matter, like in handling of Mayor fund. “IUML raised their issues with the Mayor and we discussed. There are no big issues,” said Thomas, who, along with Jain, Haris, Ashraf, V K Ebrahim Kunju, Deputy Mayor T J Vinod, K Babu and N Venugopal attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Ashraf said, “The Mayor tarnished IUML’s image with her comments in media. We had asked the leadership to withdraw her comments by issuing a statement but they did not accept.”