Shettihalli councillor Sharadamma became the city's 45th Mayor and its fifth woman Mayor after she was elected unopposed here on Friday. She is the first Dalit woman to become the Mayor after the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was formed. Nagapura councillor S. Harish was also elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor.
While Ms. Sharadamma filed three sets of nomination papers, Mr. Harish filed two. The election was conducted by Regional Commissioner S.N. Jayaram.
Standing panels
Though both were elected unopposed for the two coveted posts, they will be able to assume charge only after the election process for the members of the 12 Standing Committees is completed. The BBMP Council, scheduled to conduct the election process for the standing panels, was adjourned for Saturday during the post-lunch session due to lack of quorum.
Earlier, Mr. Jayaram invited nominations for the Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance. Twelve councillors filed their nominations, including K. Shivakumar, the independent councillor representing Shantalanagar ward.
His proposer was Peenya Industrial Area councillor Thimmananjaiah, who has filed a petition in the High Court challenging the move to dissolve the 12 committees before the end of their one-year term.
Hectic lobbying ensued and Home Minister R. Ashok and Janata Dal (S) MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan tried to persuade Mr. Thimmananjaiah and Mr. Shivakumar to withdraw the nomination. Senior leaders of the BJP, Opposition Congress and JD(S) were seen lobbying for “plum committees” such as Taxation and Finance, Major Works and Town Planning. Neither the JD(S) nor the Congress was willing to part with one seat in these committees to accommodate the independent candidates.
Feverish confabulations later, Mr. Shivakumar withdrew his nomination. The remaining 11 members were elected unopposed. Later, Mr. Thimmananjaiah told presspersons: “What will happen if the petition is dismissed by the High Court? The independent candidates will be left with nothing.”
No quorum
The meeting was thereafter adjourned for lunch. However, as the seat-sharing formula in the committees had not been decided yet, there was no quorum when it resumed. Mr. Jayaram was forced to adjourn it for Saturday.
Before the election commenced, Jayamahal councillor M.K. Gunashekar wanted to know if the city MLAs, MLCs and MPs could vote in a mayoral election. “Legally, the MLAs, MLCs and MPs can vote,” Mr. Jayaram clarified.
MP Rama Jois, MLCs Ashwathnarayan and Abdul Azeem, chairperson in the Legislative Council Vimala Gowda, MLAs N.A. Haris, Ravi Subramanya, K.J. George, Katta Subramanya Naidu, Roshan Baig, M. Srinivas, M. Krishnappa, S. Muniraju, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Prasanna Kumar, Hemachandra Sagar, N.L. Narendra Babu, Vijayakumar, Satish Reddy and Anglo-Indian nominated MLA Derrick Fullinfaw were present.
