The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has gone for a major rejig at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the major partner of the coalition, asking all of its standing committee chairpersons to submit their resignation. Though party sources have sought to portray it as a normal reshuffle, the changes at the helm of the committees are seen as an effort towards improving the performance in the various sectors, half-way into the front’s tenure. Some of the youngsters who were given the responsibility of heading standing committees did not manage to put up impressive performances.
Among those who have been asked to put in their resignation are Health Standing Committee Chairperson Jameela Sreedharan, Welfare Standing Committee Chairperson S.Salim, Town Planning Standing Committee Chairperson Jisha John, Development Standing Committee Chairperson L.S.Athira and Education and Sports Standing Committee Chairperson K.S.Reena. Medayil Vikraman, Works Standing Committee Chairperson, who took over in January this year after the resignation of D.R. Anil following a row over alleged backdoor appointments, was not asked to resign.
The tax appeal standing committee, which is divided among the smaller constituent parties of the LDF, also will not have an immediate change at the helm. Though standing committee chairpersons have been shuffled in the past tenures too, this is the first time that changes have been made at the helm across all the committees in one go. The CPI(M) district committee is expected to take a call on the replacements this week itself, so that elections for the posts can be held within two weeks.
In another unusual move, the party has also decided to shuffle the members between committees. Some of those who were shifted are tipped to be considered for the chairperson’s posts in the new committees they are proposed to be included. Those who are proposed to be shifted include Gayatri Babu, from the education-sports standing committee to the health standing committee, and S.S.Sharanya from the health standing committee to the education-sports standing committee. Kesavadasapuram councillor Amshu Vamadevan, Attukal councillor S.Unnikrishnan and Vettukad councillor Clinus Rosario are also in the reckoning for the chairperson posts.
