Bhaskar Moily elected Mangaluru mayor, Mohammad Kunjathabail is deputy mayor
Mangaluru: Bhaskar Moily and Mohammad Kunjathabail elected as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mangaluru, respectively, for the last term of the present municipal council here on Thursday.
BJP had fielded Surendra for the post of mayor as their candidate. While Moily secured 37 votes, Surendra could bag 19 votes in favor of him.
Mohammed Kunjathabail secured 37 votes, and BJP's Meera Karkera got 19 votes. Five corporators remained neutral.
Shivayogi C Kalasad, Regional Commissioner Mysuru, who was the election returning officer, announced Bhaskar Moily as mayor and Mohammad Kunjattbail as deputy mayor.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Mohiyuddin Bawa, Ganesh Karnik, BJP member Harish Shetty were absent. MLC Ivan D'Souza, MLA JR Lobo participated in the election and voted for the Congress candidates.
While the Council has 60 elected corporators, Congress has the strength of 35 elected representatives, BJP has 20. While JD(S) has two corporators in the council, SDPI has one representative and an independent candidate.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
