Congress expels Thoppumpady division councillor

The Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) has expelled Sheeba Surom, the Congress councillor representing the Thoppumpady division, from the party.

The letter issued by DCC president Mohammed Shiyas on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) cited ‘anti-party activities’ as the reason for her dismissal. Ms. Durom had been issued a notice in the past for not attending party functions and also acting against the interests of the party, it said.

Ms. Durom, however, said that she had not received any official communication or even a call from the party leadership, and that she was unaware of her expulsion.

M.G. Aristotle, UDF parliamentary leader in the Kochi Corporation, said that Ms. Durom was in the past suspended from the party for six months for not voting for the Congress candidate in the election to the education standing committee. Her vote was found invalid, which, he alleged, was part of a ‘deal.’

Mr. Aristotle said that she had repeatedly skipped meetings. “At a time when the Congress is actively highlighting discrepancies in the draft voters’ list, she is not following the party line and is working in favour of the CPI(M). The DCC president has clarified the situation through the dismissal to avoid the risk of the councillor approaching the public claiming to represent the party while acting at cross purposes, especially with the local body polls round the corner,” he added.