The Hindu 16.07.2009

Hassan CMC president faces disqualification threat

Staff Correspondent

Short-lived? A file photo of Nethravathi assuming charge as president of Hassan City Municipal Council.

HASSAN: Rebel Congress councillor Nethravathi Girish, who was elected president of Hassan City Municipal Council, is facing a threat of disqualification for violation of whip. The Bharatiya Janata Party has filed a petition before Deputy Commissioner seeking her disqualification under the anti-defection law. She was to hold office for the remaining period of 12 months if all went well.

Election to the post was held following resignation of Ratnamma Mahantesh, who was elected president in February 2008. Nethravathi secured 22 votes, including the vote of MLA H.S. Prakash, while Annapoornamma of the BJP secured five votes. Nine councillors did not vote. In Municipalities, term of each president and vice-president is for a period of 30 months. Hassan CMC was to elect president from OBC (A) and vice-president from general category.

Ms. Nethravathi is a Congress candidate that has 11 members in the council. The Congress issued whip to its councillors not to contest election and also to not to vote in the election of president. Despite this, five councillors who came out of Congress and formed Hassan Nagarika Paksha, gave a representation to the Commissioner to treat them as a separate group. The Janata Dal (Secular) that has 19 votes, including that of Mr. Prakash, and three rebels voted for Nethravathi.

During Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader and former CMC president Chennaveerappa joined the Janata Dal (Secular) and supported H.D. Deve Gowda. In return, Mr. Gowda assured president’s post to Ms. Nethravathi, who is the daughter-in-law of Mr. Chennaveerappa and was elected as Congress candidate. To facilitate Ms. Nethravathi to assume office, Ms. Ratnamma submitted her resignation last month to pave the way for the election of new president.

In the 35-member council, the Janata Dal (Secular) has 18 members, Congress (11) and BJP (6).

The Congress issued whip to all 11 councillors not to participate in election and not to vote for anybody since it was not fielding any candidate.

Among the Hassan Nagarikara Paksha, Mr. Venkatesh did not vote while Aijaz Pasha remained absent, so also other Congress councillors.

Following this, BJP councilors Prasanna Kumar and K.T. Prakash Dasappa filed a petition before the Deputy Commissioner seeking disqualification of Ms. Nethravathi, Ambika and Vijaya Kumar as they did not resign from Congress and violated the whip issued by that party.