Iresh Anchatageri becomes Hubballi-Dharwad mayor

With BJP retaining power in the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) for the third consecutive term, Iresh Anchatageri representing Ward No 3 became the mayor, while Uma Mukund of Ward No 44 became the deputy mayor on Saturday.

A staunch supporter of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Iresh Anchatageri was fielded by the party for the mayoral polls, held after more than eight months after the results of the HDMP elections came. Mayur More (Congress) of Ward No 24 and Nazir Ahmed Honnyal (AIMIM) of Ward No 71 were the other candidates.

In the elections held under the supervision of Regional Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas, Anchatageri emerged victorious by bagging 50 votes; 35 members voted against him, while four members remained neutral.

For deputy mayor's post, Uma Mukund of BJP defeated Deepa Neeralakatti (Congress) of Ward No 7, and Vahidakhanam Kittur (AIMIM) of Ward No 76. Mayor's post was reserved for general candidates, while the deputy mayor's post was reserved for general women.

In addition to corporators, MP Pralhad Joshi, MLAs Jagadish Shettar, Arvind Bellad, Amrut Desai, MLCs Pradeep Shettar, S V Sankanur (all from BJP), and MLA Prasad Abbayya of Congress also exercised their franchise.