A postgraduate degree holder in technology (M.Tech.) and Materials Science (M.Sc. in Materials Science) Shivanand K. has made it to Aranthodu Gram Panchayat (GP) in Sullia taluk in the elections conducted on May 29.
Backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he won from Aranthodu ward II by securing 596 votes of the total 905 votes. His nearest rival Nityanand, backed by the Congress, got 346 votes.
Mr. Shivanand is an alumnus of the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, and Mangalore University.
He said that of 15 seats in the Aranthodu GP, 13 were bagged by BJP-supported candidates while two went to Congress-backed candidates.
Asked about the possibilities of becoming the president of the panchayat, Mr. Shivanand, from the general category, said it depended on the roster of reservation.
“Even if I did not become the president, I as a member will give suggestions and with the team for the growth of the gram panchayat,” he said.
Mr. Shivanand, who is now a full time agriculturist, said that bad condition of interior roads coming in the way of connectivity was a major issue.
In addition, Aranthodu town needs drinking water facility. As the BJP-backed group has absolute majority it would not be difficult to address those issues.
He said that priority should also be given to corruption-free administration and cleanliness. As the BJP-supported members had good coordination it would not be difficult to provide good administration, he said.
Vittala Malekudiya
Meanwhile, Vittala Malekudiya, a postgraduate degree holder in Mass Communication and Journalism from Mangalore University who lost the election to Naravi Gram Panchayat, Belthangady taluk, from Maoist-affected Kutlur constituency, was not available to comment.
Muneer Katipalla, DYFI State president, said people’s issues could be taken up even as a common person, without being an elected representative. Mr. Vittala would continue to do so. A delegation would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah soon to urge him to withdraw the charges against Mr. Vittala, he said.
The BJP-backed candidate secured 596 of the total 905 votes in ward no. 2
His priorities are bad roads and drinking water facility for the town
The BJP-backed candidate secured 596 of the total 905 votes in ward no. 2
