The pro-Kannada staged a protest outside the BBMP office on Monday alleging that the new mayor was not a Kannadiga.
Vatal Nagaraj and his associates raised slogans in front of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) against the election of Goutham Kumar as BBMP mayor.
“Election of Goutham Kumar as the mayor for Bengaluru is a sad affair. Bengaluru, which is the capital of Karnataka, is 'Kannadigara Nadu' (land of Kannadigas) established by Nadaprabhu Kempegowda,” he said, adding that Kumar was an outsider.
'I am a Kannadiga'
Meanwhile, responding to the protest, Goutham Kumar said: "I am a Kannadiga and son of a farmer. I am from Siraguppa taluk in Ballari district. I will talk to all the pro-Kannada activists personally and request them to cooperate. I would stand for the state, Kannada language and Bengaluru at any situation.”
Meantime, Union minister and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda also lashed out at the protesters for trying to find fault in candidature.
Another BJP MLC from Bengaluru, belonging to the Jain community, Lahar Singh Siroya, said: "Mayoral elections showed the magnanimity of Bengaluru. Bengaluru, as a cosmopolitan city, has always embraced people from all sects and regions of India.
"With Goutham's selection, Bengalureans have yet again demonstrated their large-heartedness, and I express my gratitude to the people of Bengaluru. I am confident that the new mayor will live up to the expectations of the Bengalureans."
