Kochi: Clashes erupted in Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) office during the Indira Gandhi commemoration ceremony. The arguments started regarding the removal of Kochi mayor. The clashes occurred in the presence of senior leaders including K. V. Thomas.
The programme was disrupted after block vice president Norman Joseph demanded that Mayor Soumini Jain should be removed from the position. Soon after N. Venugopal delivered speech at the Indira Gandhi commemoration ceremony, Norman Joseph stood up and raised the demand unexpectedly. He added that they cannot go ahead with this Mayor.
Everyone who attended the event were shocked at the demand raised in an unexpected occasion. Senior leaders like K. Babu, K. V. Thomas and Dominic Presentation were present at the venue. Norman Joseph also stated that the Mayor does not behave decently to leaders including himself.
Following this, other leaders tried to pacify him and move from there. This ended up in further clashes and the event was disrupted. Meanwhile, the DCC president suspended Norman Joseph who started the issue.
Earlier, senior leaders in Ernakulam had approached KPCC for changing Soumini Jain from the post of Mayor. However, the councillors took a favourable stand and this intensified the issue. Party leaders, including MP Hibi Eden, publicly criticised the Mayor and stated that she was former SFI worker.
