Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 3: The election to the posts of city mayor, deputy mayor, and chairpersons of various standing committees is being held on March 9. As Congress has absolute majority in the city municipal council, victory of the corporators who get nominated by it is a forgone conclusion. Congress has a strength of 35 corporators in the 60-strong council, with BJP occupying the place of the largest opposition with 20 members.
The post of the mayor has been earmarked for woman candidate from general category, whereas the deputy mayor's post will go to a candidate from scheduled caste. Although all the 14 women corporators of the Congress are eligible to enter the fray, the choice has zeroed down to three since sometime, with corporators, Appi, Kavita Sanil, and Pratibha Kulai vying with each other for the coveted post of the first citizen of the city. Appi has been a three-time corporator, Kavita was elected as corporator twice and is currently chairperson of health standing committee, while Pratibha Kulai happens to be a first time corporator.
Appi, Pratibha Kulal, Kavita Sanil
Although Appi belongs to scheduled caste, she was elected from a ward that was meant for general category. As the post of the deputy mayor this year has been set aside for a scheduled caste candidate, some reckon her chances of getting nominated by the party to the post of mayor as bleak. Kavita Sanil is backed by experience and as chairperson of health standing committee, she has strictly acted against shops not conforming to rules and got identified as a no nonsense chairperson.
It is said that some people within the Congress are not in favour of Kavita as she bagged standing committee post with the support of BJP. When Congress did not allot ticket in the past, she had fought as an independent candidate, and defeated Harinath. Thereafter, the party had fielded her as its own candidate in the next election, and she had got elected. A section of the corporators, it is said, have brought pressure on minister, Ramanath Rai, not to give his nod for Kavita because of her past anti-party stance.
Pratibha Kulai, who holds MSW and MA (English) postgraduate degrees, belongs to Suratkal. She is supposedly having the backing of MLA, Mohiuddin Bava. While her educational credentials weigh heavily in favour of her, the fact that she is first time corporator can tilt the scale the other way. Ramanath Rai will have the final say, and as per current trend, he appears to be in favour of Kavita Sanil, sources say.
For the post of the deputy mayor, the names of Rajanish from Derebail ward and Nagaveni of Ashok Nagar are being coined although one occasionally hears that prospects of Appi getting the post are not remote. As per information, BJP plans to field its candidates for these posts, although they have no chance of winning. Congress will be deciding on its candidates on March 8. The term of current mayor, Harinath, will end on March 11. BJP might field corporator and leader of the opposition, Roopa Bangera, in the mayoral election, it is gathered.