KPCC opts for experience in top civic body posts
Kochi: The campaign by a section of Congress leaders to anoint a political greenhorn as Kochi mayor appears to be fizzling out with the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) shutting the door on newcomers occupying top posts in civic bodies.
The KPCC executive which met on Thursday passed a resolution moved by vice-president V D Satheesan instructing the elected representatives to pick only people with administrative or party-level experience for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor, municipal chairmen and standing committee chairpersons.
“Exceptions will be made only where the posts are reserved for scheduled castes or scheduled tribes,” said KPCC sources. As per the KPCC guidelines, the list of probables will now be narrowed to Soumini Jain, Delena Pinheiro, V.K Minimol, who have already served on the council.
The KPCC resolution comes in the wake of serious allegations of money changing hands to prop up a first-time councilor with no experience in the party for the mayor’s post.
The sources said the KPCC has asked general secretary P M Suresh Babu, in charge of party affairs in Ernakulam, to investigate the charges.
Senior party leader Prof. K V Thomas, MP, is also against imposing a political novice on the elected representatives, the sources said, adding the party will also seek the opinion of the councilors before taking a final decision.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the District Congress Committee on Friday reviewed the local body poll results and discussed selection of candidates for key posts.
A senior party leader said the DCC is likely to take a decision on the party’s candidates for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and district panchayat president and vice-president on November 16 or 17.
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