The Congress is yet to find a replacement for the post of Deputy Mayor in the Kochi Corporation ever since Deepak Joy resigned from the position and as councillor following his election as the Thripunithura MLA.

It has been more than a month since Mr. Joy stepped down. While his election has necessitated a by-election in the Ayyappankkavu division of the Corporation, which he represented, the more pressing need is to find a Deputy Mayor, who also serves as the chairperson of the crucial finance standing committee. After storming back to power in last year’s local body elections, the Congress had decided on a split term for the Deputy Mayor’s post, to be shared for two-and-a-half years each by its councillors Mr. Joy and K.V.P. Krishnakumar.

Whether a new councillor will be appointed as the Deputy Mayor or Mr. Krishnakumar’s term will be advanced remains to be seen. A final decision will be taken by the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) in consultation with the Congress parliamentary party and the larger United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership.

“We haven’t taken a decision on the Deputy Mayor yet, including on whether or not to advance Mr. Krishnakumar’s term. It will be decided shortly,” said DCC president and Kochi MLA Mohammed Shiyas.

LDF’s stance

The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has criticised the governing committee for its alleged apathy in the functioning of the finance standing committee. “As per the Kerala Municipality Act, even in the absence of a chairperson, a standing committee meeting can be held, presided over by the senior-most member of the committee. That it has not been done is an administrative lapse on the part of the governing committee,” said V.A. Sreejith, LDF parliamentary party leader.

Initially, UDF constituent Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) staked a claim to the Deputy Mayor’s post for a year. The IUML also expressed displeasure over the manner in which the Congress district leadership overlooked its claim and unilaterally announced two candidates for the post under a split-term arrangement.

The claim was eventually rejected, primarily due to the Congress’s strong performance, which alone secured sufficient councillors in the 76-member Corporation. Subsequently, the IUML’s potential nominee for the post, T.K. Asharaf, was accommodated as the chairperson of the works standing committee.