Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 11: Sources have revealed to daijiworld that four-time corporator Jacintha Alfred is most likely to be the next mayor of Mangalore City Corporation (MCC).

The election is scheduled to be held on Thursday March 12 at 11.30 am, but reliable sources have revealed that the ruling Congress has already chosen Jacintha as the next mayor.

Sources also said that Purushottam Chitrapur, also from Congress, is likely to be the deputy mayor.

The post of the mayor this time has been reserved for woman candidate belonging to general category, while the deputy mayor's post will go to a candidate from the general category.

The Congress is comfortably placed to win the election, holding 35 out of the 60 seats in the MCC, while the BJP has 20. Jacintha, Appi, who has been elected as corporator thrice, and two-time corporator Kavita Sanil have been in the race for the mayor's post.

Jacintha Alfred, corporator of Falnir ward, had been among the front-runners for the mayor's post in 2013 too, but the election was postponed after controversy erupted over reservation to women candidates for the top post. The matter reached the high court, and finally election was held in 2014 after the court ruled that the post would be reserved for general category, and Mahabala Maarla was elected as mayor.