Kochi: Differences have surfaced within the Congress over the selection of the next Mayor of Kochi, with a section of party leaders reportedly working to block the elevation of KPCC General Secretary Deepthi Mary Varghese to the post. The dissenting group is pressing for the mayoral choice to be finalized strictly on the basis of numbers in the Congress parliamentary party meeting of the Kochi Corporation.
The party leadership has already indicated that the mayor will be chosen from among three names Deepthi Mary Varghese, Shiny Mathew and V.K. Minimol. However, uncertainty continues over who will ultimately get the top civic post. Deepthi Mary Varghese is widely seen as the frontrunner, given her organizational position and long association with the Congress, dating back to her days in the Kerala Students Union (KSU). Many within the party argue that it would be only fair to reward her years of organizational work with the mayor’s office.
Despite this, resistance to Deepthi’s candidature has grown within certain sections of the district leadership. As a result, the names of V.K. Minimol and Shiny Mathew are being actively promoted by her opponents. Supporters of these two leaders argue that both have strong influence among Latin Catholic voters in the city, a factor they believe should weigh heavily in the final decision.
Sources indicate that the faction opposed to Deepthi is seeking a decision based on a formal vote of the councillors, wary of her perceived backing within the KPCC and the All India Congress Committee (AICC). There are also reports of efforts to exert pressure on community leaders to step aside, signaling the intensity of the internal manoeuvring. In the event of a prolonged deadlock, the party leadership may even be forced to consider the option of splitting the mayor’s tenure into two-and-a-half-year terms.
Adding another layer to the discussions is the proposal of appointing a deputy mayor from the Hindu community if the mayoral post goes to a Christian leader. In this context, senior Congress leader K.V.P. Krishnakumar and young councillor Deepak Joy are being mentioned as leading contenders for the deputy mayor’s position.
With multiple factions lobbying hard and competing calculations at play, the Congress leadership faces a delicate balancing act as it moves towards a final decision on who will lead the Kochi Corporation.