A contentious dispute between the Congress and its coalition partner, IUML, over the Mayor’s position in the Kannur Corporation appears to be nearing resolution, thanks to the United Democratic Front (UDF) state leadership’s intervention.
Leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan, played a pivotal role in brokering an agreement between the Congress and IUML in the district. As per the agreement, the incumbent mayor, TO Monahan, will step down in December, after serving three years, to make way for an IUML nominee to take over. In return, IUML’s K Shabeena will vacate her Deputy Mayor post, to be filled by the Congress.
Kannur is the only UDF-controlled corporation in the state, and this resolution aims to maintain the alliance’s harmony. The IUML, the second-largest ally in the UDF, holds 13 seats in the 55-member local body. By allowing IUML to have the Mayorship for the remaining two years, the Congress addresses IUML’s demand for equal tenure.
This development comes after a period of tension between Congress and IUML, with the latter boycotting corporation events, except council meetings, as the Congress initially refused to cede the Mayorship halfway through the term.
With the assurance from the UDF, IUML’s district leadership is now focused on finding the right candidate for the Mayor’s post, with hopes that the transition will take place by the first week of December. Both parties express confidence in the UDF’s leadership, signaling a resolution to the long-standing dispute over the Mayorship in Kannur Corporation. Martin George, president of Kannur District Congress Committee (DCC), reiterated the party’s willingness to cooperate with IUML, pending the official announcement from UDF state leadership.
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