KOCHI: With the resignation of Development Committee chairperson Gracy Joseph, the UDF will complete the proceedings ahead of replacing Mayor Soumini Jain as part of the corporation revamp based on an agreement reached when Soumini was elected mayor in 2015. Sources said Gracy, who was on a foreign tour, will tender her resignation by Friday.
The DCC leadership held discussions with Gracy and she expressed willingness to step down. Malini Biju, who represents the Island North division, will contest for Gracy’s post. The election of the chairpersons of the tax appeal standing committee and town planning committee will be held on December 19.
Congress leader Vijayakumar, who represents Devankulangara division, and KC(M) leader Joseph P J resigned from the welfare and works standing committees, respectively. As per the pact in UDF, Joseph will contest for the post of chairperson of tax appeal standing committee while Congress member Delina Pinheiro will be the candidate for the chairperson post of town planning committee. Martin P D, who is now a member of the town planning committee, will step down later to contest for the chairperson post of the welfare committee.
Three Congress standing committee chairpersons — former town planning committee chairperson Shiny Mathew, who is likely to replace Soumini, tax appeal committee chairman K V P Krishna Kumar and welfare standing committee chairman A B Sabu — have resigned so far.
“The committee chairpersons’ election will be held in three phases. With its completion, UDF will replace the Mayor. If things go as per plan, the new Mayor will be elected by January,” said a source. Another leader said KPCC will take the final call on the replacement of the mayor.
Besides the Congress and Kerala Congress, a new face will come as standing committee chairperson from the IUML.