KOCHI: The factional feud between the ‘I’ and ‘A’ group in the Congress is exacting a heavy political toll from the UDF in the Kochi Corporation. With just eight months remaining for the UDF ruled council to complete its term, the Opposition LDF has gained control of almost all the major standing committees of the corporation. Consequently, this could well undermine the implementation of several pet projects announced earlier.
If the LDF started the term with just the education standing committee in its kitty, it has now established a majority in finance, town planning and health standing committees. With development standing committee chairperson Gracy Joseph being suspended from the Congress for indiscipline, the LDF established its hold over the committee also.
“Though the finance committee and development committee have UDF members as the chairperson, proposals can be implemented only with the endorsement of LDF members,” said K J Antony, Opposition leader. The corporation is a failure in terms of governance and several projects announced with much fanfare are in cold storage.
The e-governance, Smart City Mission and other projects haven’t been implemented. It will become difficult for the UDF to complete the term,” he added. Corporation LDF parliamentary party secretary V P Chandran said the opposition is supporting the development committee only for implementing the projects.