BBMP Council elected its Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2012-13 on April 26th. Kathriguppe (ward number 163) Corporator D Venkatesh Murthy became Mayor while Padmanabha Nagar (182) Corporator L Srinivas became Deputy Mayor.
These BJP corporators were the only ones who filed their nominations at the elections, and were hence elected directly. Home, Transport and Bangalore-in-charge Minister R Ashoka was present. The Mayor position is reserved for Backward class A category, while that of Deputy Mayor is for general category this year.
Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy (R) with Minister R Ashoka and Deputy Mayor L Srinivas (L), after nomination. Pic: Navya P K
After being confirmed as new Mayor, 54-year-old Murthy said that water supply and waste management would be his priorities, though he did not suggest any concrete ideas. "I will discuss water supply issues with BWSSB and BBMP Commissioner. I will also look into waste management proposals which are being discussed since the last couple of years."
Murthy first became BBMP Corporator in 1996 from Padmanabha Nagar ward, and then in 2001 from Srinivasa Nagar ward. He had been member of BBMP’s Accounts Committee and Town Planning Committee many times. Currently he is a member of the Accounts Standing Committee. He is a commerce graduate from Dayanand Sagar college and had worked as second division clerk in KSRTC for a while before becoming a full-time political activist.
Reiterating the promise of his predecessors, Murthy said that his priority is to keep Bangalore a green city and also to raise revenue by implementing Akrama-Sarkrama (building regularisation) scheme.
D Venkatesh Murthy signing his nomination papers at the election. Pic: Navya P K
Asked about BBMP’s financial condition, Murthy said that he would discuss funding with state and central governments, and would get a report submitted on the status of internal audits in BBMP. "We will also raise revenue by collecting penalty on illegally-laid OFCs (Optical Fibre Cables)," he said.
Deputy Mayor Srinivas also said that his priorities were providing water supply and keeping the city green.⊕
Let’s hope it doesn’t mean two years of some new underpass constructions in the ORR near BSK 3rd stage! Maybe they can think of finishing the kadirenahalli one first!
Also, hopefully, no new traffic-causing malls in that area!!