TP: BJP has majority, but Congress gets the president

Rajani and Prakash being congraulated by U.T. Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare in Mangalore on Friday.

Though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a wafer-thin majority in the Mangalore Taluk Panchayat, it will be led by a Congress representative.

At the elections here on Friday, Rajani, who won from the Congress ticket from Padamarnadu constituency, was elected unopposed as president and BJP’s Prakash, from Yedapadavu constituency, was elected vice-president. The two had been elected for a tenure of 20 months starting Monday when the term of Harish K. and Rajeevi Kempamannu – both from the BJP – ends.

In the 37-seat Panchayat, the BJP holds 19 seats, while the Congress had won 18 seats.

Reservation

For the third tenure as president, the previous two presidents for the current council were from the BJP, the post was reserved for a member from the Scheduled Caste. With the BJP not having any member from this background, the sole Congress party candidate took the spot.

Though two candidates – incidentally, both named Prakash – contested for the post of vice-president the result was more-or-less a foregone conclusion. While BJP’s Prakash secured all 19 votes, Congress candidate Prakash Hosabettu secured 17 votes (one Congress member was absent during the meeting).

The elections were held at the taluk panchayat meeting hall under the supervision of Assistant commissioner R. Prashanth.