How a slip-up costs BJP the mayor's post in Mangalore

A little negligence cost the BJP the mayor’s post in the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), which it would have won had it not been for the oversight.

Even though the BJP has a majority in the council, its candidate could not win. That was because her nomination got rejected as she failed to furnish a caste certificate to prove that she belongs to the reservation category.

The BJP’s Roopa D Bangera was expected to sail through in the election for the mayor’s post as the party has 35 members in the 60-seat council and mayorship for 2012-13 has been reserved for the reservation category she belongs to. Also, the party whip ensured to bring all councillors to the council hall to make it easy for Bangera.

A sparkling new car waited outside for the new mayor. But when it was time for scrutiny of the nomination papers, the returning officer MV Jayanti (regional commissioner) announced that Bangera’s nomination was rejected as she had not furnished a caste certificate to prove that she belongs to the reservation category.

The only other candidate, Gulzar Banu of the Congress, was elected mayor.

The BJP leaders tried to rectify the snag at the last minute, but the damage had already been done. It is the first time in the state that a minority party in the council bagged the mayor’s post.

BJP’s legal cell expert Monappa Bhandari said the returning officer was given the right papers by Bangera, but he did not take note of them and the party felt there was a conspiracy.

However, another legal expert said the BJP candidate did not file a second application nor did the party field a dummy candidate, which led to it losing the post.

BJP leader N Yogish Bhat, who is also the deputy speaker of the state assembly, was furious at the development. “Owing to this gaffe, we lost one term of ruling in the council. It was nothing but total complacency and irresponsibility on the part of the leaders and the candidate. It is unpardonable,” he said.

BJP district president Padmanabha Kottari also went into a fit of rage. He said the party had four former mayors in the council, but none of them did anything to save the situation.

Shocked, chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda said: “At least till now I did not have to worry about MCC in my home city, but after listening to what happened there, I feel I must take stock of the situation there as well.”

A heartbroken Bangera said she thought it was a conspiracy against her.

Gulzar Banu said she was not at all prepared for this post and had no hopes either. But now, she said, she wanted to retain the post for the entire term. She said she would do good work and would not give the BJP a chance to move no-confidence motion.

The BJP may have to wait for 90 days to regain the mayor’s post. Shankar Bhat said this could happen if the party moved a no-confidence motion against the mayor, adding that the gestation period for such a move is three months as per the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act.