Times News Network
Mangalore, Jul 16: Here is good news for women corporators. Rajya Sabha member and former KPCC chief B Janardhan Poojary has said that the Congress would field women candidates for the mayor’s post, reserved for the General category.
The statement has come as a solace for women corporators, who were disappointed over the change in reservation for mayor post from Lady-General to General recently.
However, deputy mayor’s post is reserved for Lady-General.
Despite the change in reservation, Poojary on Saturday said the Congress, which is in power in MCC, would place a woman candidate for the post to prove that the party accords highest priority to ensure social justice for women.
So there is no wonder if both the mayor and deputy mayor are women this time.
Terming the government’s move as a ‘shame for the coalition partners’, Poojary said Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP exhibited double standards in providing opportunities for women in higher offices. He reiterated his party’s resolve to accommodate a woman corporator in at least one mayoral term in the 5-year Council tenure.
Reacting to the allegations by in-charge minister for DK district Nagaraj Shetty, he clarified that the Congress had not distorted the roaster system for reservation for mayors.
“It is the discretion of the party in power (state government) to decide the roaster for corporation councils in the state. It has been our endeavour to give opportunities to all sections of the society. Hence we had mayors belonging to Bunt, Backward A, SC and minority classes. The fifth term was thus reserved for a lady candidate,’’ Poojary said in reference to the BJP leader’s efforts to avoid preference to women.
The change in reservation has revealed an evil intention of the government to create a rift within the ruling party in the council. “The Congress will not yield to such intentions,’’ he said.
“The move will be fatal for the BJP and the Congress when they go for the corporation poll next year,’’ he said.