Newly elected mayor Sharadhamma, deputy mayor S Harish and BJP leader Nanjundappa took charge of their respective posts in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council, on Saturday.
Newly elected mayor Sharadhamma, deputy mayor S Harish and BJP leader Nanjundappa took charge of their respective posts in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council, on Saturday.
Speaking after taking charge, Sharadhamma said that she had been a gram panchayat and taluk panchayat member before being elected to the council.
“I will work for the development of the city by taking guidance and directions from senior leaders and the public. Instead of showing sympathy, I request all the corporators to support me in conducting a smooth and productive discussion in the council,” she said.
Speaking on the occasion, home and transport minister
R Ashoka said that the BJP is happy in giving the mayoral post to Sharadamma, and thereby respecting the Scheduled Caste community.
“Political leaders think that with money and muscle power, they can take any position. But giving an opportunity to a woman from the reserved category is an achievement for the party,”
he said.
With regard to population, the minister admitted that compared to other cities in the country, Bangalore is faced with more problems while providing the best of facilities. “Even though there are hundreds of problems, people from other parts of the country want to live in the Garden City. Citizens from other countries also prefer Bangalore as the destination. Therefore, the problem of providing facilities has increased,” he said.
“We have to rejuvenate the lakes that have either dried up or encroached upon. Leaving party affiliations aside, corporators and leaders should work for the development of Bangalore. We should be a model for other cities. The council should become a stage for discussion and not a place for fighting,” Ashoka said.
Standing committees elected
Earlier in the day, chaos and confusion reined at the BBMP headquarters, as members of the BJP were seen indulging in hectic lobbying till afternoon for berths on the 11 standing committees. The commotion resulted in regional commissioner SN Jayaram adjourning the election for one hour due to lack of quorum.
Ashoka, former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, along with MLAs Muniraju and Vijayakumar, tried to pacify the disgruntled members. While 11 members for the standing committee on taxation and finance, were elected on Friday, the remaining 11 standing committees were unanimously elected on Saturday after the initial hiccups.
Ashoka and Naidu also held a closed-door meeting with BJP corporators immediately upon their arrival to finalise the members for the committees.
However, when Jayaram arrived at the council to begin the election process, most of the corporators were missing from their seats, except for senior Congress leader and Jayamahal corporator Gunashekar.
Later, JD (S) corporator Padmanabha Reddy arrived and asked the regional commissioner whether the elections would be conducted or not. After waiting for five minutes, Jayaram adjourned the council till 12 noon. By then, Ashoka convinced his party corporators and at 12.20 pm, the election procedure started with each member for all committees getting elected.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}