BJP lady councillor likely to be next Deputy Mayor

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 23, 2016 :  Election to the post of the next Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mangaluru is expected to be conducted on March 11. The Mayor’s post is reserved for general category while that of the Deputy Mayor for Scheduled Tribes (woman) category, according to sources in the corporation.  In the Congress-majority council of Mangaluru City Corporation, a councillor from the Opposition BJP is likely to become the next Deputy Mayor. It is due to reservation.

Going by the eligibility of candidates to be contested, the Congress does not have any candidate for the post of Deputy Mayor.  While the BJP has a woman candidate, Sumithra Kariya, councillor from Surathkal East Ward No 2. The BJP is likely to field her in the elections.

The term of the Mayor Jesintha Vijaya Alfred and Deputy Mayor Purushothama Chitrapura would end on March 11.   It was in 2012, when the BJP was in majority in the council, a councillor from the then Opposition Congress was elected Mayor.  It was not due to reservation but the rejection of the nomination paper of the official Mayor candidate of the BJP Roopa D. Bangera.  The then Regional Commissioner of Mysuru M.V. Jayanthi, who was the Election Officer, rejected the nomination papers of the BJP candidate, Bangera on the grounds that she had not submitted her caste certificate in the prescribed format within the given time.

There was no dummy candidate of the BJP in the fray. Hence, the Opposition Congress candidate, Gulzar Banu, was declared unopposed.  Banu then became the first Muslim Mayor of Mangalore.  It resulted in embarrassment to the ruling BJP in the council.

In the 60-member House now, the BJP has 21 members, Congress 35, and the Janata Dal (Secular), Social Democratic Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxists) share a seat each.   In addition, there is an Independent candidate.

As now the post of Mayor has been reserved for general category, there are many aspirants in the Congress. Going by seniority, Harinath, chairman of the Standing Committee for Taxation, Finance and Appeals, is the senior-most member in the council now followed by Lancelot Pinto.  As many factors contribute in the selection process, a clarity about the front-runners is yet to emerge.