With the Ernakulam bypoll round the corner and the term of the Kochi Corporation Council entering its final phase, the council meetings are likely to turn stormy.
The CPI(M)-led Opposition may even move a no-confidence motion against the civic administration led by Mayor Soumini Jain. Though it was decided in principle to move the no-trust motion against the administration, a final call has not been taken. The decision would have to be taken by the district leadership of the party, said Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors.
The bypoll dates might be announced shortly and hence the notice for no-confidence motion would have to be pushed through before that, they said. Even while waiting for the party bosses to give green signal for the crucial political move, the LDF has decided to step up pressure against the ruling dispensation both inside and outside the council.
The meeting of the council scheduled to be held on Monday will be a precursor for the agitations as the Opposition will flag all the shortcomings in the administration when the council meets.
“With one year and two months left for the present council, we won’t allow the Mayor to have a good time in office any more. She will have to face the wrath of the people in the coming days,” said a CPI(M) leader in the council. The inability of the civic administration to address the issues the city was facing would be exposed, he added.
The power struggle in the United Democratic Front (UDF) camp, especially the campaign by a section of the Congress councillors to unseat Ms. Jain and to make way for Shiny Mathew, the chairperson of the town planning standing committee, will help the LDF.
The UDF has the support of 38 councillors whereas the LDF enjoys the backing of 34 members.
The BJP, which has two councillors, too would support any resolution demanding the ouster of the Mayor from power, he said.
At the same time, dissidents in the Congress camp said the campaign for the ouster of the Mayor was on and the party was not be in a position to overcome a no-confidence motion against her. If the LDF moved the motion, a Parliamentary party meeting of the Congress would have to be convened to finalise the party strategy, said a Congress councillor.