BJP bags Bellary president's post G. Somashekar Reddy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected unopposed as President of the Bellary City Municipal Council (CMC) on Monday for the second and last term of the present five-year tenure. FEB. 9 2004
Election to the post was necessitated following B. Kumaraswamy, who was
elected to the post with the support of the Congress, was disqualified
for defecting and violating the party whip in August 2002.
Mr. Kumaraswmay and Sheikh Moinuddin, who had both won on the BJP
ticket, violated the party whip and voted against the party's official
candidate and had supported the Congress candidate.
A complaint filed against them by the BJP then was disposed of by the
Deputy Commissioner,
SN Jayaram in the third week of January last holding that the
action of the two had attracted the provisions of the Karnataka Local
Authorities Act (Prohibition of Defection) 1987 and not only
disqualified them but also ordered that they would cease to be members
with immediate effect.
Mr. Somashekar Reddy, who was defeated by Mr. Kumaraswamy in the
previous election, was the only one to file the nomination papers.But for one, all the other BJP councillors were present.
The Congress, which was aware of the inevitable poll outcome, chose to
skip the election. Thus, Mr. Somashekar Reddy was declared elected by
the Deputy Commissioner, S.N. Jayaram, who conducted the proceedings.
G. Janardhana Reddy, President of the district unit of BJP, G. Karunakar
Reddy, former president of the district unit, K. Ramalingappa, and B.
Sriramulu, congratulated Mr. Somashekar Reddy on his victory.
Link : http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/10/stories/2004021010770300.htm
