Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 6: The city will get its new mayor and deputy mayor on March 12, as election has been scheduled for this day for the election of mayor and his deputy for the second term in the present tenure of the city corporation council.

The post of the mayor has been earmarked for woman candidate belonging to general category, while the deputy mayor's post will go to a candidate hailing from general category. Congress, which has a strength of 35 in the 60-member body, is comfortably poised to bag both the posts. However, in view of the fact that there are several eligible aspirants for both these posts, arriving at a consensus becomes necessary. Therefore, the party is likely to organize a meeting to zero in on the mayoral candidate and observers from Bengaluru may participate in this meeting.

When Mahabala Marla was elected for the post of the mayor, district in-charge minister, Ramanath Rai's opinion had prevailed over the others. This time around, the ad-hoc district Congress president will not be available for choosing a candidate as he has been made the chairman of Mangaluru Urban Development Authority.

Four-time corporator, Jacinta Vijay Alfred, Appi, who has been elected thrice, and two-time corporator, Kavita Sanil, might vie for the post of mayor. It is learnt that 14 women councillors are eligible for the post of the mayor. The choice of the deputy mayoral candidate will depend on the caste and ward of the nominee for mayor's post. A C Vinayaraj, Rakash, and Padil Prakash are said to be in the forefront of the race for this post.

Although BJP, which has only 20 corporators, does not have any chance of winning these posts, it is gathered that the party will be fielding its candidates for both the above posts.