New Belagavi mayor utters ‘Sab ka sath, sab ka vikas’

BELAGAVI: Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) led Belagavi Development Front candidates elected in the elections held for the mayoral and deputy mayoral posts of Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) here on Saturday.
Kiran Krishnarao Saynak, the councillor of ward number-7 and leader of ruling group elected as mayor while Meena Rayman Vaaz, the councillor of ward number-34 elected as deputy mayor.In-charge regional commissioner M Manjunath Naik conducted the elections and announced the names of new mayor and deputy mayor.
Five candidates had filed nominations contesting mayoral elections in which Deepak Jamkhandi, Vinayak Gunjatkar and Mohan Belgundakar withdrew their nominations before voting. Among remained two candidates, Kiran Saynak received 32 votes against the 27 votes of opposite candidate Ramesh Sontakki.
Similarly, six candidate had filed nominations contesting for deputy mayor post. Of them, Vaishali Hulaji, Jayashri Malagi, Maya Kadolkar and Pushpa Parvatrao withdrew their candidature. Among remained two candidates, Meena Vaaz elected with 32 votes while her opposite candidate Sarala Herekar managed to get just 27 votes.
There are 58 ward councillors in city while 30 is the magic number of majority. There are 32 councillors with the MES led Belagavi Development Front, while Kannada-Urdu group is having 26 seats. Besides, two MPs and four MLAs also are having power of exercising their votes in mayoral elections in which one is Sambhaji Patil, who is MLA as well as the councillor from ward number 15. Though he is on both posts, his one votes is to be counted. If rest MPs and MLAs including district-charge ministers votes in favour of Kannada group, the number of Kannada group reaches to 31 and it still fall short of MES led group.
Admitting the early defeat, minister Satish Jarkiholi, MPs Suresh Angadi and Prakash Hukkeri and Belagavi (Rural) MLA Sanjay Patil remained kept themselves away from election process. Belagavi (North) MLA was present and casted his vote to the candidates of Kannada group.
New mayor utters ‘Sab Ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas’:
Speaking to the media persons after being elected as mayor, Kiran Saynak clarified that he will not engage in language centric politics like past and assures of emphasizing on development of infrastructure in city. “I believe in Sab Ka Sath and Sab Ka Vikas, so I will work beyond the language barriers”, Saynak said.
Listing his priorities, new mayor said implementing 24X7 water to the city will be his first priority besides implementing the sewage treatment plant, remodelling of sewage system and implementing of railway over bridge projects in different places will be his other priorities.
Saynak said already CM Siddaramaiah has been announced Rs 300 crores for the development of Belagavi city in the budget following the efforts of district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi. “I will pursue with the government for early release of that grant for the development purpose”, he said.