Woman Power! Next MCC Mayor will be a Woman?

Woman Power! Next MCC Mayor will be a Woman?

Mangaluru: With the selection of the next Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to be held in a few weeks from now, when the tenure of the present Mayor K Harinath will end on March 11, It is learnt that the mayoral post for the fourth year of running term will be witnessed by three congress women corporators, since the seats are reserved for general women category. The three women for this race are seniors Kavitha Sanil ( MCC Chairperson of Health Committee) and Appi ( served in many MCC committees); and first-time corporator Prathibha Kulai.

If one among these three candidates have to be selected as the MCC next Mayor depends on their status- while Appi and Kavitha have vast experience in MCC activities, Prathibha has to her credit her higher education ( MA in English, MSW, and MPhil). This will be the last time that DK Congress committee has to pick one among the three candidates during its five year’s term.

Appi, Prathibha Kulai, Kavitha Sanil 

The Congress high command has to decide on a perfect choice in selecting the next mayor, since Mangaluru has been selected as one of the Smart cities, and there will be several state-funded projects to be undertaken- and for that reason an ideal person as the next mayor is very much needed to handle these responsible duties. Speaking to media persons, DK District Congress president and District minister in charge Ramanath Rai said, ” Since there is still a month before the tenure of Mayor Harinath ends, it’s too early to declare the mayoral candidate from the party. We will be monitoring the developments and the strength of these three women, and we will decide on an able candidate who could handle the duties responsibly and effectively. We are not focusing on a particular name or a person. There will be lots of challenges to be faced by the mayor in this term”.

About Appi- she has been active in the congress party for many years, and has chaired several MCC standing committees during her three terms- and she feels that she would be an ideal person to be the next mayor. She has said, ” I have a huge backing from party leaders and my followers who want me as a Mayor. I feel that complete knowledge of the city and the MCC administration should be the criteria in selecting the future Mayor”.

About Kavitha Sanil- she is presently serving as the MCC chairperson of health, and has conducted many raids on hotels/restaurants on safety and health issues. Being a second-time corporator and having all that experience, she hopes to become the next Mayor. Her remarks are, ” I only wish that our senior party leaders consider my achievements and experiences during my last 10 years being a corporator and two standing committees, in selecting me as the next MCC mayor. I am not lobbying for the post, and will accept whatever the party leaders decide”.

About Prathibha Kulai – she is a first-time corporator, but she is very much hopeful that the party leaders will select her as the Mayor due to her extensive educational qualifications, as a post graduate in MA (English), MSW (HR) and MPhil (Social Work). She has said, ” If selected as Mayor I will do my best. It will be a great opportunity to render social service. Although my entry into politics is new, but with my post-graduate status, I am more focused on social work, and I know that I can handle the mayor post most efficiently and honestly. I also have support from most of the corporators. They should give a new comer a chance”.

In the meantime pertaining to the mayoral selection, the major issues are – Congress leaders and MLAs have differences of opinion on these three women candidates; Appi and Kavitha have support from senior congress leaders based on their experiences, while Prathibha is supported based on her education; congress seek active mayor as it is election time; the initiatives of Smart City project as well as completion of state government schemes started in four terms; uniting the all the corporators and avoiding rebels is a challenge for the party.