From Daijiworld's political correspondent (MB)
Mangalore, Jul 13: With the changed pattern of reservation for the annual mayoral election, there would be more aspirants for the posts of the mayor and deputy mayor this time around.
The MCC complex - city's seat of power
For many years, the two posts used to go to different combination of castes and categories. Since Congress has a massive majority in the house, the opposition parties had alleged that this year's reservation was manipulated by the ruling party to suit its interests. Every year, although the victory for the Congress candidate had been a fait accompli, the BJP would always field its token candidate to make its presence felt. This would be in spite of having the additional votes of an MP, three MLAs and an MLC.
According to this year's reservation, the mayor's post was to go to women (general) and deputy mayor to backward classes 'A'. After the BJP-JDS combine came to power, district minister in-charge B Nagaraj Shetty had urged the state government to change the reservation, now the mayor's post will go to general category and the deputy mayor will be from women (general) category.
Minister Shetty has apparently angered two categories, women and backward classes, says a dalit corporator. Firstly, women have been deprived of the mayor's post. Secondly, backward classes have been deprived of the deputy mayor's post.
This could create ripples in the political cirlces within the city corporation and outside, further said the corporator.
Besides, now that the mayor's post has been thrown open to all, it goes without saying that the arena would be much wider, with dozens of contenders. According to the category criterion, all 60 corporators are eligible. However, Congress has 45, BJP 13 and independents 2 in the house.
Since a Congress corporator is sure to be the mayor, hectic lobbying has already begun.
The election had been scheduled to be held on July 24. Now with the change in the reservation, even the date could be revised.
Tidbits:
- About nine years ago, the Mangalore City Corporation had the rare distinction - a first in Karnataka - of having two women in both the posts, Hilda Alva of Congress and Judith Mascarenhas of Janata Dal.
Lancelot Pinto
- Lancelot Pinto, a low-profile, four-time Congress corporator from Bijai, has been deprived of becoming mayor several times, because of various combinations and equations. As a compensation, he was given the party ticket to contest the Mangalore assembly election in 2004 at the eleventh hour, with hardly enough days left for canvassing. Expectedly he lost to N Yogish Bhat. Will he make to the mayoral chair at least this time, or will the caste factor play the spoilsport yet again?
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