KOCHI: The Congress has succeeded in retaining UDF rule in Kochi corporation by pacifying a section in the party who revolted against the leadership of mayor Soumini Jain.Amidthe opposition’s boycott, the mayor could pass the agenda to deposit Rs 1 crore with the state and central pollution control boards (PCBs) as directed by National Green Tribunal ( NGT ), in the corporation council meeting on Thursday.The Congress leadership apparently told dissidents in the party that Jain would soon be replaced with Shiny Mathew, and asked the councillors to get the agenda passed on Thursday.The opposition, which had demanded voting when the agenda was considered on November 23, was reluctant to seek voting on Thursday as they were sure that dissidents in Congress would also vote in favour of Jain this time.On Wednesday, UDF convener Benny Behanan and DCC president and deputy mayor T J Vinod are learnt to have met KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and apprised him of the situation in the corporation.As a follow-up to that meeting, Ramachandran consulted senior Congress leader and MP K V Thomas on Thursday.“It is learnt that the leadership has taken a decision to change the mayor. But, there is difference of opinion in case of deputy mayor candidate. As per the earlier decision, K R Premakumar should replace Vinod as the deputy mayor as the latter has to quit after he assumed the charge of DCC president. Now, a section in the leadership wants to rope in T V P Krishnakumar,” said a Congress leader.“A meeting of the leaders would be held in Kochi on December 2 to sort out the issues,” he said.According to a section in Congress, there had been an agreement for sharing the mayor’s post between Jain and Mathew. As per the deed, Jain was to quit for paving way for Mathew when she completed two-and-a-half years.The opposition staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the mayor’s reply to their queries regarding distribution of agenda to the councillors.According to them, the authorities didn’t provide adequate time for the councillors to study the agenda.“As per municipal rules, the agenda of the council meeting should be circulated to the members three working days ahead of the meeting. This is for giving adequate time for the members to study the agenda and check the files concerned. But the agenda has been circulated only on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is a clear violation of rules,” said LDF parliamentary party secretary V P Chandran.But the mayor said that there had been adequate time for the councillors to study the agenda.

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