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Mysore's first woman Mayor

By Our Staff Correspondent

Modamani, who became the first woman to get elected Mayor of Mysore, and Ayub Khan who was elected Deputy Mayor.

MYSORE June 30. The forty-six-year-old Congress leader, Modamani, was today elected the first woman Mayor of Mysore. She becomes the 19th person to occupy the post. The Congress corporator, Ayub Khan, was elected Deputy Mayor. Both were elected unopposed with the JD(S) corporators absenting themselves and the BJP corporators walking out in protest against the ruling party's "undemocratic act" of preventing a Congress aspirant for the Mayor's post from filing her nomination papers.

The Congress has 37 members while the JD(S) and BJP have 18 and 10 corporators, respectively, in the 65-member House. As soon as the outgoing Mayor, T.B.Chikkanna, start the election process, the BJP members were on their feet criticising the Congress for depriving an eligible aspirant her democratic right to enter the fray.

The BJP members were referring to the reported "detention" of Yashoda in the Mayor's antechamber till the time for filing of nomination papers expired in the morning. The Congress members said the BJP members were unnecessarily interfering in their party affairs. In the midst of chaotic scenes, Mr. Chikkanna sought the assistance of police. Soon, the BJP members walked out of the House. Mr. Khan (31) was elected unopposed as the rebel Congress candidate, B. Vasudev, withdrew his nomination papers at the last minute.

Ms. Modamani is the wife of N.Basavaraju, a primary schoolteacher. She is a two-time corporator. She has three children — a son and two daughters.

Mr. Khan holds a B.B.M. degree and was elected to the city corporation for the first time in the 2001 elections.

Speaking to presspersons soon after her election, Ms. Modamani promised to accord top priority to cleanliness and repairing roads.

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