Candidates to face people on March 3

The newly constituted Mangalore Mahanagara Poura Samiti will hold an interactive meeting between people and candidates contesting the election to Mangalore City Corporation council,

A meeting of Mangalore Mahanagara Poura Samiti in Mangalore on Friday. Photo: R. Eswarraj

The newly constituted Mangalore Mahanagara Poura Samiti will hold an interactive meeting between people and candidates contesting the election to Mangalore City Corporation council on March 3.

In a meeting held here on Friday, the Samiti’s honorary adviser Shikaripur Krishnamurthy saidthe commitment of candidates towards the development of the city would be appraised at the meeting. A promise that the candidates would ensure corruption-free administration, if elected, would be sought at the meeting. “We need councillors who are committed towards the development of the city,” he said. The candidates should promise that they would set up ward committees in their wards.

Aisha Mumtaz, vice-president of the Samiti, said people should elect candidates who were aware of the issues that plagued the ward and had the time to address the problems in their area. If the candidate were a woman, she should ensure that her husband did not wrest her responsibility.

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Arthur Fernandes from Kankanady talked about how the candidates had been holding dinners and giving gifts to garner votes. To this, Mr. Krishnamurthy said the members of the Samiti should come forward to report such malpractices to the Deputy Commissioner, who is the Election Officer. People should desist from electing such candidates, he said.

The Samiti’s Convenor Padmanabh Ullal said people should guard against casting their votes in favour of candidates, who had illegally garnered assets after becoming councillors. To this, Mr. Krishnamurthy said that they would raise the issue of corruption during the meeting.