Beena Philip, a former principal of the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Nadakkavu, has been chosen by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) as its nominee for the post of Kozhikode Mayor.
According to a release by the Kozhikode district committee of the CPI(M) on Saturday, C.P. Musafir Ahmed, secretary of the CPI(M)’s South area committee, will be the front’s nominee for the post of Deputy Mayor. He has been elected from the Kappakkal ward.
Kanathil Jameela, a former Kozhikode District Panchayat President, will get another chance to hold the post. The posts of Mayor and District Panchayat President have been reserved for women. The newly elected councillors will be sworn in on Monday, and the mayoral election will be held on December 28.
Ms. Philip was elected to the corporation council from the Pottammal ward. S. Jayasree, former principal, Government Arts and Science College, Kozhikode, who was elected from the Kottuli ward, too was reportedly considered for the Mayor’s post. However, the Kozhikode district secretariat and later the district committee of the CPI(M) picked Ms. Philip. Names of these party nominees have been forwarded to the CPI(M) State committee. Meanwhile, Ms. Jameela was the only contender for the post of District Panchayat President.
Ms. Philip had played a key role in raising the academic standards of the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Nadakkavu, and improving the infrastructure there through the PRISM project, which was later emulated by many other schools. She had also held the post of principal, Government Higher Secondary School, Azchavattom, in the city.
Ms. Jameela was at the helm of the Kozhikode District Panchayat between 2010 and 2015. This time, she was elected from the Nanminda Division. She was earlier president of the Chelannur block panchayat and Thalakkulathoor grama panchayat. A Kozhikode district committee member of the CPI(M), she is also the district president of the All-India Democratic Women’s Association.
