Mangaluru: Premanand Shetty, a senior corporator of Mangalore City Corporation has been selected as BJP’s nominee for the post of the new Mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation as per party sources. Premanand has served the MCC in various capacities including the Leader of Opposition and Chairman of various Standing Committees in the past.
Tomorrow on 2 March, the elections will be held for the office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Mayor’s post is open for the general category, and the Deputy Mayor post is reserved for general female candidates.
Last year, Premanand Shetty, a five-time corporator from Mangaladevi ward in the city was considered as a favourite candidate for the Mayoral post. However, the BJP nominated Divakar Pandeshwar owing to the reservation calculations.
Sumangala Rao of the Kunjatbail ward in the Mangaluru North constituency is said to be selected for the post of Deputy Mayor. The other two senior candidates who won from the Mangalore North will be given the opportunity next time on the basis of reservation informed the sources.
Both the candidates are expected to win the elections with the ruling BJP having clear majority numbers. The council will also elect 4 Standing Committee chiefs during the same election process.
The Mangalore City Corporation has a total of 60 wards. The BJP has 44 corporators whereas the opposition Congress has 14 followed by the 2 corporators from SDPI. The term of the office of Mayor and the Deputy Mayor is one year.
