Mangaluru: Sudheer Shetty, a three-time BJP corporator representing the Kodialbail ward of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), secured his 24th term as mayor in Friday's election. This election saw him win with the backing of the BJP, which holds the majority in the council. In the 2019 MCC council election, the BJP won 44 seats, while the Congress and SDPI managed to secure 14 and 2 seats, respectively.
Shetty got 47 votes, while the SDPI candidates chose to remain neutral during the election.
The deputy mayor's election was uncontested as it was reserved for candidates from the SC women category. Sunitha, a BJP corporator representing the Panambur-Bengre ward, became the deputy mayor unanimously. The Congress and SDPI had no SC women candidates to put forward for this position.
Sudheer Shetty, in addition to his role as mayor, has previously served as the chief whip in the city corporation council and chaired a standing committee. He also holds the position of general secretary in the BJP Dakshina Kannada district unit. Sunitha, the newly elected deputy mayor, is a first-time corporator and works as an ASHA worker. The mayoral poll was conducted by GC Prakash, the regional commissioner for the Mysuru region.