The Congress bagged the posts of president and vice president in the 45-member Belagavi Taluk Panchayat in the elections held here on Tuesday afternoon.
Patil Shankargouda Gangappa and Maruti Bharam Sanadi were elected president and vice president respectively, defeating BJP and independent candidates affiliated to Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi. The election was presided over by Assistant Commissioner and Returning Officer Rajashree Jainapur.
Mr. Patil and Mr. Sanadi secured 22 votes each, while BJP’s Patil Raoji Mahadev and Appasaheb Machandarnath Keertane secured 14 votes each. Independent candidates (MES) Sampagavi Kallappa Baswant and Peeraji Kallappa Yellurkar polled eight votes.
Mr. Yellurkar, who was allegedly kidnapped when the elections were first scheduled on May 10, was absent, as the police still have not been able to trace him. The elections were then postponed after filing of nominations for want of quorum. The election process resumed on Tuesday with the scrutiny of the nomination papers.
It is alleged that Mr. Yellurkar, who had filed his nomination papers for the vice president’s post, was dragged away by a group of Congress workers, in front of the police who remained mute spectators.
Police officials told The Hindu that a case of kidnap had been registered with the Khade Bazaar Police Station.
