With the factional feud in the party coming out in open, at the Corporation Council meeting, the district Congress leadership is likely to intervene to ensure its smooth functioning.
Thirteen members from the ruling front had taken a stance against Mayor Tony Chammany, during the council meet on Thursday.
This is not for the first time that Chammany, a nominee of the ‘A’ faction, is facing stiff opposition from the ‘I’ group. But Thursday’s incident in which 13 members including two Standing Committee chairpersons took a stand against Mayor, demanding a vote to pass an item in the agenda, holding hands with the opposition, is a clear indication that the ‘I’ faction wants a change in leadership.
However, the supporters of the Mayor, told Express that the ‘A’ views the development as a grave issue and that the ‘I’ faction will have to bear the consequences of the act.
“This is not for the first time that these 13 councilors along with senior leader N Venugopal, who is now the GCDA chairman, are acting against Mayor. We all know that after getting defeated by Chammany in the race to the Mayoral post, Venugopal, before assuming office of the GCDA chairman had openly criticised Chammany at the council meetings. But now they have declared an open fight,” he said.
Meanwhile sources said that ‘A’ faction is planning a similar strategy against the GCDA Chairman. “There are members who belong to the ‘A’ group at the GCDA Executive Council. It will be tough days ahead for Venugopal as these members will take a stand against the Chairman and that will definitely affect the administration of GCDA,” sources said. Ernakulam District Congress Committee president V J Poulose said that the Party views Thursday’s incident seriously.
“I have not received any serious complaints from members. But in the backdrop of some members taking an open stance against the Mayor, the party will seriously intervene in this issue,” he said.