KOCHI: A section of Congress councillors demanded wider consultations on policy matters and important businesses of the Kochi Corporation at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting held here on Thursday.
The demand gained significance in the wake of Mayor Soumini Jain ordering a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) into the signage deal. After the Mayor ordered the probe, some UDF chairpersons, including town planning standing committee chairperson Shiny Mathew, had come out in the open questioning the intentions of the Mayor in going for a vigilance inquiry.
Ms. Mathew had also advised the Mayor to be subservient to the council.
Taking part in the discussions on Thursday, Ms. Mathew explained that she had to come out with a public statement as media reports had shown her and the town planning standing committee in poor light. She also questioned the delay in placing the files pertaining to the deal in the council.
It was a Congress councillor from West Kochi who demanded an explanation on the contentious issue.
The supporters of the Mayor downplayed the debate, maintaining that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. However, her detractors said the Mayor could not come up with a satisfactory explanation for the issues raised at the meeting.
Explaining her position at the meeting, Ms. Jain said the probe was ordered against certain errant officials.
