Mangaluru: Diwakar Pandeshwar and Vedavathi of the BJP have been elected as the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation respectively.
The much-awaited elections for the two posts were finally held on Friday, February 28 after confusions prevailed over the reservation issues and some knocked the doors of the court over the same.
Diwakar, a three-time Corproator bagged 46 votes (44 council members and two votes of MLAs), against his opponent Keshav Maroli from Congress, who bagged 15 votes (14 Council members and one vote of MLC Ivan D’Souza).
Two of the SDPI members opted to remain neutral during Mayoral polls.
Meanwhile, Vedavathi, who is a two-time corporator bagged 46 votes while her opponent Zeenath Samshuddin bagged 17 votes. The two SDPI members, who remained neutral during the mayoral polls cast their votes in favour of Zeenath.
It may be recalled that Vedavathi scripted history by bagging highest votes ever in the entire MCC, in the recently held MCC polls.
Diwakar represents the Cantonment ward of the MCC and Vedavathi represents Kulai ward.
Though it was earlier said that secret ballot would be used this time for the elections, the members cast their votes by raising their hand in favour of the candidate.
The BJP has 44 seats in the 60-member Council. The Congress has 14 members and the SDPI has two members. Apart from these two BJP MLAs- Vedavyas Kamath and Bharath Shetty too cast votes in favour of the BJP candidates and MLC Ivan D’Souza cast vote in favour of Congress candidates.
Regional Commissioner V Yashwant was the Election Officer. Additional Regional CommissionerGayathri, Deputy Commissioner B Sindhu Roopesh, Additional DC Roopa, Municipal Commissioner Shanadi Ajit Kumar Hegde were present.
Election to Standing Committees
Meanwhile, members to various standing committees were elected unanimously.
Standing Committee for Public Health, Education and Social Justice: Ashraf, Poornima, Chandravathi, Varun Chowta, Lohit, Bharat Kumar and Sumitra.
Standing Committee for Town Planning and Improvement: Abdul Latheef, AC Vinay Raj, Sharath Kumar, Shakila Kava, Sharath Kumar, Kadri Manohar Shetty, Kishore Kottari, Nayan R.
Standing Committee for Accounts: Anil Kumar, M Shashidhar Hegde, Jagadish Shetty, Gayatri, Sandhya, Revathi and Lokesh.
