Meenakshi Behera of the BJD on Friday became the new Mayor of Cuttack city.
A city corporator of reserved Ward No 45, Ms Meenakshi was declared elected unopposed by State director of municipal administration Sanjib Mishra after only her nomination was found to be valid.
The post of Mayor, reserved for SC woman for the current term, had fallen vacant since December 29 last after the then mayor Anita Behera resigned over her alleged involvement in the ration card scam.
The ruling BJD, which has the support of 45 corporators in the 58-member council, earlier in the day chose Ms Meenakshi as their candidate for the Mayor by-poll. Since she had also applied for the ration card, the opposition Congress and BJP corporators boycotted the by-poll.
Flanked by some enthusiastic party corporators, a nervous Meenakshi, struggling for words after she was declared the new Mayor, said she would work for the development of the city with the cooperation of all. She also thanked the party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith in her.
