BJP loses Kochi corporation standing committee chairpersonship

Kochi: Priya Prasanth of BJP lost chairpersonship of tax appeal standing committee of Kochi corporation on Monday. This followed UDF moving a no-confidence motion against her.District collector NSK Umesh convened a meeting of tax appeal standing committee members to discuss the no-confidence motion and decide on it on Monday. Congress councillors Malini Kurup, Santha Vijayan, Rajani Mani, Sony Joseph and Mini Vivera cast their votes against Prasanth. In the tax appeal standing committee, there are five UDF members, two BJP members and one CPM member. CPM member did not turn up while considering the no-confidence motion.Earlier, Congress had four members in the standing committee. The party leadership got one of its members to resign from education standing committee. She was later elected as a tax appeal standing committee member. Earlier, development standing committee chairman PR Ranish and welfare standing committee chairperson Sheeba Lal resigned from their posts. CA Shakkir of CPI and CD Valasalakumari of CPM are expected to take over as chairpersons of development and welfare standing committees, respectively.