By Express News Service
BENGALURU: In a bad tempered Mayoral election, Congress candidate Gangambika Mallikarjun, the Jayanagar ward councillor was elected as the Mayor of Bengaluru, while Ramila Umashankar of the JDS was elected as the Deputy Mayor as the BJP staged a walkout.
Gangambika won with 130 of the 253 votes, while Umashankar received 129 votes and will hold the post of Deputy Mayor. With the BJP staging a walkout, the Congress-JDS combine, with 130 votes, was able to ensure the election of both their candidates.
The voting process resulted in constant pandemonium and confusion in the council hall as independent MLA's were continously courted by all parties for their vote. Six voters chose to remain absent from the proceedings, BJP MPs Anantkumar and Nirmala Sitharaman, Congress MLA Roshan Baig and Congress councillors Asha Suresh, Lalitha and Nazir Khanum.
Another Congress councillor Lalitha Thimmananjiah, who came late was not allowed to vote. Out of eight independents, two supported the BJP while the remaining supported the Congress-JDS coalition. For the first time in the city's history, two women candidates will hold the top two positions in the city's administration.
Gangambika will become the 52nd mayor of the city and Umashankar will be the 51st Deputy.
