Raided corporator likely to be next Mayor

BJP corporator from Moodalapalya, N Shantha Kumari - whose house was raided by the Lokayukta a couple of months ago - will be the next Mayor of the City.

Top sources in the BJP told Deccan Herald that the party took the decision to make Shantha Kumari the next Mayor following pressure from Housing Minister V Somanna. The party was forced to overlook the Lokayukta raid on Shantha Kumari’s house, which unearthed assets worth crores of rupees disproportionate to her known sources of income.

At a meeting held recently at the chief minister’s residence to choose the new Mayor - where MLAs and MPs were present - Somanna said that for the last many years none from Bangalore West had become the Mayor, which affected development of the area.

To this, some MLAs raised objection saying that already a woman is holding the post of Mayor. So this time, a man should be chosen. Some others raised the issue of the Lokayukta raid on Shantha Kumari’s house, which could affect the already sagging image of the party.

But Somanna remained defiant and silenced others by saying that gender should not become a basis for appointing the Mayor, when the objective was to give preference to backward areas, sources said.

He said Shantha Kumari, a former Deputy Mayor, is an experienced candidate unlike the present Mayor Sharadamma.

The party leadership has kept the chances open for alternative candidates in the event of Shantha Kumari’s selection getting mired in a controversy.

The other names doing the rounds for the post of Mayor are Shakambari Nagar corporator B Somashekar and Kathriguppe corporator D Venkatesh Murthy.

The term of Sharadamma comes to an end on April 23 and the post is reserved for Backward Class ‘2A’ category for the next term.