Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jan 11: “Ullal municipal president, has ignored the directions of the party high command to resign from his position as the president of Ullal municipality. A letter in this connection will be addressed to district president of Congress,” said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Ivan D’Souza.

Addressing a press conference held at the district Congress office here on Tuesday January 10, he said that an arrangement had been worked out to share the term of the presidentship of the municipality at the rate of 15 months each between Basil and former vice-president of the municipality, Dinesh Rai. “Basil has completed 15 months in the post. He should have paved way for Dinesh Rai by resigning. But Basil disobeyed the high command instructions by remaining adamant at not resigning from his post,” he claimed.

Ivan, who participated in the special session of the municipality held on Monday, held as wrong the ruling given by the vice president, Bhavani, who chaired the session, that motions showing no confidence cannot be passed without the support of two thirds of the elected representatives and that the motion should get the support of at least two thirds of the total members including elected representatives, nominated members, MPs, MLCs and MLAs. “This ruling was wrong as per the act. Protesting against this, we walked out of the session,” he said. He urged the district deputy commissioner to declare the above ruling as unlawful, and convene another special session to move the no confidence motion against the president again.

Ivan said that party councilor, Rashid Ullal, has been expelled from the party, adding that disciplinary action will also be taken against the other member, Dinakar Ullal, for not participating in party programmes. He wondered how Rashid Ullal’s presence could be counted, after he was expelled.

Ullal block Congress president, Eshwar Ullal, standing committee chairman, Farooq Ullal, former president, Mohammed Mukkacheri, former vice president, Dinesh Rai, and a number of councilors were present at the press conference.