MANGALORE: Kadri Padavu corporator, Mahabala Marla and Marakada corporator, Harinath appear to be a favourite among the five front runners to the post of mayor of Mangalore city corporation. The elections to the post will be held on Thursday.

Though three meetings have been held with corporators, second rung leaders and with MLAs, consensus seems to be eluding on who should be chosen as the mayor among five in contention namely six time councillor from Bejai Lancelot Pinto, five time councillor Harinath, three time councillors Mahabala Marla, Naveen D’Souza from Bendore and Bhaskar Moily from Padavu East.

The post of mayor has been set aside for a general candidate, making all the 35 Congress corporators eligible to contest. The post of deputy mayor is reserved for a general candidate (woman). The 60-member house has 35 Congress, 20 BJP members, two JD(S) members, one member each from CPI(M) and SDPI, and an independent. Incidentally, the current reservation is an exact reversal of the roster announced earlier and one that would have seen a woman Congress corporator become the mayor.

Mangalore City South MLA J R Lobo who had discussions with district in charge minister Ramanath Rai and Mangalore North MLA Mohiudeen Bava, said: We are looking at six criterions namely who will be eligible among the five favourites to get mayor’s post next year according to reservation; the seniority and the length of service as a councillor; Community representation; those who have not got a chance till date; the councillors capacity to take all along and his capacity to rejuvenate the corporation machinery to expedite development works. Lobo said: Whatever decision is taken will not be made public or announced on Wednesday. We will announce it on Thursday itself during the process. The MLAs will hold one last meeting late on Wednesday night to finalise the candidate.

Councillors Marla and Naveen said that Harinath will get a chance due to the nature of the reservation roster, but they will not get it, hence they should be considered strongly.

Courtesy: Times of India