Uncertainty hangs over H. Prasanna continuing as Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation as the official, a Karnataka Administrative Service cadre officer, went on leave on Thursday.
Mayor Mahabala Marla told The Hindu that the official, who took charge on Wednesday, has gone on leave till Sunday.
He said Mr. Prasanna has, in his leave letter, wrote that he was taking leave of duty for shifting his family from Madikeri, where he was Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, to Mangalore.
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In the letter, he has requested permission from the Secretary of the Department of Urban Development to leave headquarters, the Mayor said. Mr. Marla said that a copy of the letter has been sent to him (the Mayor).
Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada A.B. Ibrahim told The Hindu on Thursday that he did not receive any instruction on the matter from the government or the Chief Minister’s Office.
The Chief Minister’s Office on Wednesday “orally asked the Deputy Commissioner to put on hold” the transfer order of Mr. Prasanna. However, sources said the official went on leave on an instruction from the government.
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Meanwhile, sources in the Congress said there was groupism in the party.
They said that a group of councillors, led by senior councillors, in the corporation want Ajith Kumar Hegde S., who is in training in Hyderabad till July 27, to continue as MCC Commissioner while another small group wanted a change.
A Congress leader said that a group of about 15 councillors went to Bangalore recently and prevailed upon the Chief Minister’s Office through a Minister from the district not to replace Mr. Hegde.
Criticising the Congress, Leader of the Opposition (BJP) in the corporation Council Premananda Shetty said that some Congress councillors admitted to him that an MLA and an MLC from the city were with the team of councillors that wanted to retain Mr. Hegde.