BBMP Poll: G. Padmavathi is city’s new Mayor, Anand is her deputy

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, Sept 28, 2016: Four-time councillor from Prakash Nagar G. Padmavathi (56) became the city’s new Mayor after bagging 142 votes in the mayoral polls held on Wednesday morning. Her candidature was announced by the Congress leadership hours before the mayoral election.

The BJP, the opposition and single largest party in the council, also fielded councillor D.H. Lakshmi for the mayor’s post. However, Ms. Lakshmi bagged just 120 votes.

Pandemonium prevailed and the BJP members, including MPs, MLCs, MLAs and councillors, staged a walk-out when Regional Commissioner Jayanthi didn’t allow two MPs - Rajeev Chandrasekhar and P.C. Mohan - to cast their votes for the mayoral polls.

Ms. Jayanthi ruled that since the poll process had already begun when they walked in to the council, they could not vote. To this, Padmanabhanagar MLA R. Ashok urged the Regional Commissioner to allow them to vote in the polls to the post of Deputy Mayor. However, Ms. Jayanthi contended that since the polls to the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor were not separate, the two MPs couldn’t vote.

Mr. Mohan maintained that they were delayed, as they attended the all party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss the Cauvery issue. However, the Congress leaders maintained that they too attended the all party meeting and then came to the council for the mayoral polls.

Claiming that Ms. Jayanthi’s decision was “unfair and biased”, the BJP members raised slogans against her and staged a walkout. Later, they gathered outside the council hall and staged a snap protest.

Meanwhile, the poll process to elect the Deputy Mayor was completed unopposed. With BJP staging a walkout, JD(S) candidate M. Anand (53) from Radhakrishna Temple ward and the party’s floor leader in the council, was elected as Deputy Mayor.