UDF councillor K.R. Premakumar was sworn in as Deputy Mayor of the Kochi Corporation on Wednesday.
His victory was over LDF candidate and Opposition Leader K.J. Antony. In the 74-member UDF-dominated corporation council, Mr. Premakumar secured 37 votes, while Mr. Antony polled 34 votes. The two BJP members of the council boycotted the election, which was presided over by District Collector S. Suhas.
Despite the UDF’s narrow majority in the council and the Congress being recently divided over calls for the removal of Mayor Soumini Jain, the election witnessed no surprises.
The seat of Deputy Mayor fell vacant after its previous incumbent T.J. Vinod was elected to the Assembly.
Mr. Premakumar, 49, of the ‘I’ faction of the Congress, is a three-time councillor from Konam, Ward 18 of the corporation, having won from the division in 2005, 2010, and 2015. He had been a member of the standing committee for finance of the current council.
In his address to the council after the oath of office was administered to him by the Mayor, Mr. Premakumar said major issues of the city like waterlogging and poor roads would be taken up on priority. Given the little time he will have in office before the council’s term ends in October next year, he promised to complete work that has already been initiated.
Several councillors hailed Mr. Premakumar’s victory as one for West Kochi and hoped that the much sought-after interventions for the area would finally materialise.
