by Richie Lasrado, Resident Editor
Mangalore, Oct 25: The news of the annual mayoral election this time, being the last year of the five-year term of the corporation, has already lost its interest and curiosity. Every year there used to be a series of behind-the-scenes developments and high drama attached to this ritual.
But this time, the most interesting part of it is that there is hardly anyone looking forward to the result; why, even there are even less number of aspirants to the first citizen's chair.
There are valid reasons for there being no takers. Firstly, the post is reserved for women. That cuts down the number of aspirants sizeably.
Secondly, already three months have passed since the original date of election because of a legal wrangle in the matter, which has given sitting mayor K Ashraf an extension of tenure. (In the history of single-year tenure mayorhood of the city, he holds the record of being the only mayor having seen two Independence Day celebrations in his time.) So that leaves the new mayor with a truncated, three-quarters term to be at the helm of the city administration.
Thirdly, there is a report making rounds that the state government may decide to hold the Mangalore city corporation elections in February 2007, along with other major cities. In that eventuality, the new incumbent will have only four months, three out of which will be devoted to felicitation functions in any case.
The Mangalore City Corporation complex at Lal Bagh
Not that this year's edition lacked any histrionics. When there were attempts by vested interests to have the criterion of mayoral candidature altered to suit them, based on caste and other factors, a woman corporator took the matter to the High Court, which finally ruled in her favour. In the meantime, a dozen caveats had been filed by the male domain. Adding further colour to the proceedings, a team of city's female corporators staged a day-long 'dharna' in front of the Vidhana Soudha premises in Bangalore.
Not lagging behind, Rajya Sabha member and former union minister Janardan Poojary elicited a big round of applause from the female galleries when he threw a challenge, saying he would like to see any "man" stopping a woman from becoming a mayor.
The irony of the situation is that Congress has a bulldozer majority in the House. Opposition BJP, as it is wont every year, will certainly put up its candidates for both the posts, to make its token presence felt. The opposition, in spite of its overwhelming number of MPs, MLAs and MLCs who are eligible to vote in this election, knows it would not have the bleakest chance, unless there is a mass rebellion and cross-voting in the Congress party.
It has baffled many political observers and citizens as to how the BJP, in spite of winning most of the assembly seats and both Lok Sabha seats, has never succeeded in capturing power in the corporation elections.
Now the dust has settled down in the preparatory rounds. The final round is on since the Congress party's state observers have arrived on Tuesday and they would be camping in the city perhaps until the election is over. KPCC vice president Putte Gowda and former minister K J George are staying in the Circuit House. They were collecting opinions from various quarters, mainly the corporators with sessions being held in the party office.
During discussions that went on till late Tuesday night, since the most of them favoured an secret internal ballot, the choice will be made at 5 pm on Wednesday, October 25. The future mayor's name, in all likelihood, will emerge by sundown.
Vijaya Arun and Surekha Rai
Brisk lobbying is on. Many names like those of Jacintha Alfred, Kavita Sanil and others were making rounds earlier. But the final choice appears to be between Vijaya Arun and Surekha Rai. There are demands that communities like Billawas and Christians should be represented.
Outgoing mayor Ashraf and senior party leaders are said to be backing Vijaya Arun, while the 'kingmaker' team consisting of Mahabala Marla, Naveen D'Souza and former mayors Diwakar and Purandardas Kulur are rooting for Surekha Rai, said informed sources. This team had successfully elevated Shashidhar Hegde, Diwakar and Purandardas Kulur to the mayoral chair for the earlier terms. But last year, there was a demand that a Muslim be given a chance. So, their favourite Padmanabha Amin lost to Ashraf in the internal choice.
According to party sources, Kamalaksha Salian and Abdul Saleem are in the fray for the deputy's post.
Alas, all this brisk activity apart, the tenure of the 'Worshipful Mayor' of the city will be short-lived, which could be sort of another record.
FLIP-FLOP