<p>Harinath of Congress has been elected as the 29th Mayor of Mangaluru city. <br />Harinath, 65, succeeds Jacintha Vijay Alfred, whose term ended on March 10. <br />Sumithra Kariya of BJP, representing Surathkal East ward, was elected as the Deputy Mayor unopposed in the mayoral polls held here on Friday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Harinath represents Marakada ward in the city corporation council. Harinath defeated Roopa D Bangera of BJP by a 36-20 margin. Five members --- two from JD(S), one each from CPM, SDPI and the lone Independent - remained neutral. <br /><br />The deputy mayor’s post was reserved for ST (woman) and Sumithra was the lone candidate from the category in the 65-member council (none from Congress). The council has 60 elected corporators and the rest are the members of State legislature and the Lok Sabha. <br /><br />A five-time corporator, Harinath has served as the president of the civic body’s Standing Committee thrice and deputy mayor in the past. He was the chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance and Appeals in the council headed by Jacintha Vijay Alfred. The term of the mayor will conclude on March 10, 2017. <br /><br />Sumithra Kariya, is a second time corporator. Hailing from the Koraga community, she was the youngest corporator when she was elected in her previous term in 2008. Her entry to the politics was unplanned, without any political background. It was former mayor Rajani Dugganna who persuaded her to contest election from Surathkal East ward in 2008.<br /><br />Mysuru Regional Commissioner A M Kunjappa conducted the election. <br /><br />New mayor speaks <br /><br />Speaking to mediapersons, Harinath said UGD system needs to be relaid in old municipality area of the MCC. The old pipelines will be replaced with the new ones from funds available under ADB and AMRUT scheme. “My dream is to stop flow of sewage in the open drains of Mangaluru,” he said.<br /><br />He called upon people to reduce the use of plastics. Plastic forms a major chunk of garbage at the landfill sites. Cleanliness will be given priority, he said. “Underpass work at KPT Junction needs to be taken up on a priority basis to prevent traffic congestion. More than 4,000 vehicles ply on the stretch to airport daily. If the NHAI gives permission, then the MCC is ready to take up the work on underpass after consulting the technical experts,” Harinath said.<br /><br />“My another dream is to develop the Central Market as well as the markets at Kankanady and Surathkal on a priority basis. The open auction of the Bejai market stalls will be held on March 28,” he said. He thanked the party leaders, headed by District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai, for reposing faith in him and giving him the opportunity to serve people. <br /><br />Deputy Mayor Sumithra said she will work for the integrated development of the Mangaluru. Roads, streetlights and drinking water facilities will be her priorities during the tenure, she added. <br /><br />Sumithra Kariya’s father Kariya, a former employee at NMPT, said he was happy that his daughter has become the deputy mayor of Mangaluru. “We want her to excel and serve the people of Mangaluru. Initially, we did not want her to enter into politics as it was a new field for us. Later, former mayor Rajani Dugganna persuaded us to allow Sumithra to contest the election. It was an opportunity for the underprivileged to serve the society,” he said.<br /><br />Standing Committee <br /><br />The following members were elected to different standing committees of the civic body: Taxation, Finance and Appeals Standing Committee — Shailaja, Appi, Surendra, Naveenchandra, Praveenchandra Alva, Sumaiaya and Prathibha Kulai; Public Health, Education and Social Justice Standing Committee — Rajaneesh, Nagaveni, Premananda Shetty, Rajesh, Deepak Poojary and Kavitha Sanil; Town Planning and Development Standing Committee — Lancelot Pinto, Ashok Shetty, Rathikala, Vijaykumar, Madhukira, Naveen D’Souza and Purushotham Chitrapura; Accounts Standing Committee — Poornima, Raghuveer, Zubaida, Prakash, Akhila Alva, Kavitha and Basheer Ahmmed.<br /></p>
<p>Harinath of Congress has been elected as the 29th Mayor of Mangaluru city. <br />Harinath, 65, succeeds Jacintha Vijay Alfred, whose term ended on March 10. <br />Sumithra Kariya of BJP, representing Surathkal East ward, was elected as the Deputy Mayor unopposed in the mayoral polls held here on Friday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Harinath represents Marakada ward in the city corporation council. Harinath defeated Roopa D Bangera of BJP by a 36-20 margin. Five members --- two from JD(S), one each from CPM, SDPI and the lone Independent - remained neutral. <br /><br />The deputy mayor’s post was reserved for ST (woman) and Sumithra was the lone candidate from the category in the 65-member council (none from Congress). The council has 60 elected corporators and the rest are the members of State legislature and the Lok Sabha. <br /><br />A five-time corporator, Harinath has served as the president of the civic body’s Standing Committee thrice and deputy mayor in the past. He was the chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance and Appeals in the council headed by Jacintha Vijay Alfred. The term of the mayor will conclude on March 10, 2017. <br /><br />Sumithra Kariya, is a second time corporator. Hailing from the Koraga community, she was the youngest corporator when she was elected in her previous term in 2008. Her entry to the politics was unplanned, without any political background. It was former mayor Rajani Dugganna who persuaded her to contest election from Surathkal East ward in 2008.<br /><br />Mysuru Regional Commissioner A M Kunjappa conducted the election. <br /><br />New mayor speaks <br /><br />Speaking to mediapersons, Harinath said UGD system needs to be relaid in old municipality area of the MCC. The old pipelines will be replaced with the new ones from funds available under ADB and AMRUT scheme. “My dream is to stop flow of sewage in the open drains of Mangaluru,” he said.<br /><br />He called upon people to reduce the use of plastics. Plastic forms a major chunk of garbage at the landfill sites. Cleanliness will be given priority, he said. “Underpass work at KPT Junction needs to be taken up on a priority basis to prevent traffic congestion. More than 4,000 vehicles ply on the stretch to airport daily. If the NHAI gives permission, then the MCC is ready to take up the work on underpass after consulting the technical experts,” Harinath said.<br /><br />“My another dream is to develop the Central Market as well as the markets at Kankanady and Surathkal on a priority basis. The open auction of the Bejai market stalls will be held on March 28,” he said. He thanked the party leaders, headed by District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai, for reposing faith in him and giving him the opportunity to serve people. <br /><br />Deputy Mayor Sumithra said she will work for the integrated development of the Mangaluru. Roads, streetlights and drinking water facilities will be her priorities during the tenure, she added. <br /><br />Sumithra Kariya’s father Kariya, a former employee at NMPT, said he was happy that his daughter has become the deputy mayor of Mangaluru. “We want her to excel and serve the people of Mangaluru. Initially, we did not want her to enter into politics as it was a new field for us. Later, former mayor Rajani Dugganna persuaded us to allow Sumithra to contest the election. It was an opportunity for the underprivileged to serve the society,” he said.<br /><br />Standing Committee <br /><br />The following members were elected to different standing committees of the civic body: Taxation, Finance and Appeals Standing Committee — Shailaja, Appi, Surendra, Naveenchandra, Praveenchandra Alva, Sumaiaya and Prathibha Kulai; Public Health, Education and Social Justice Standing Committee — Rajaneesh, Nagaveni, Premananda Shetty, Rajesh, Deepak Poojary and Kavitha Sanil; Town Planning and Development Standing Committee — Lancelot Pinto, Ashok Shetty, Rathikala, Vijaykumar, Madhukira, Naveen D’Souza and Purushotham Chitrapura; Accounts Standing Committee — Poornima, Raghuveer, Zubaida, Prakash, Akhila Alva, Kavitha and Basheer Ahmmed.<br /></p>
