KOCHI: Congress’ district president Mohammed Shiyas on Wednesday said that no church leadership intervened or made any demand with regard to the choice of Kochi mayoral candidate. Decisions related to party positions and post-election matters are taken by the party and the UDF, he said.
Shiyas further said that the prospective mayor was chosen based on a collective decision, strictly in accordance with KPCC guidelines and criteria. “It was a unanimous decision by all leaders. The DCC president’s role was only to announce the decision. We shouldn’t tarnish the glory of the party’s best-ever electoral victory,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Congress had announced that V K Minimol and Shiny Mathew would share the five-year term in the high-profile post.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajay Tharayil expressed dissatisfaction over the decision to bypass Deepthi Mary Varghese who had topped the priority list for the mayor post. “There is excessive groupism in the corporation. Leaders are being forced to take sides. The mayor and the deputy mayor were announced unilaterally without convening the core committee meeting,” Tharayil said.
Adding to the fire, ex-Congress leader Simi Rosebell John said that the same power group which once stood with Deepthi to oust her has now sidelined Deepthi.
Will get deputy mayor post in fifth year, claims IUML
Meanwhile, the IUML said that the party will get the deputy mayor post in the fifth year of the council. “The Congress and the League, following a high-level discussion, have come to an understanding to share the deputy mayor post. Thus, I will serve as the deputy mayor for the last year of this term,” said IUML leader T K Ashraf.