At least three councillors are in the race for the chairperson’s post in Aluva municipality where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has won a clear majority of 16 out of 26 seats in the recent local body elections.
The names of Saiji Jolly, the deputy chairperson in the outgoing council, and Lisa Johnson, the chairperson of the standing committee for public works, are among the probables for the top post along with Saniya Thomas, a two-time councillor, Congress sources said. The chairperson’s post has been reserved for women this time.
Lisa Johnson
The party was yet to initiate formal talks on the matter. It is awaiting the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to issue the norms for the selection of chairpersons and deputy chairpersons, a senior Congress leader from Aluva said. Party sources, meanwhile, said the local leadership will be holding consultations to reach a consensus in the next few days. The new council is likely to take oath on December 21. All the UDF councillors belong to the Congress in the municipality.
Saniya Thomas
