Daijiworld New Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Jul 29: City mayor K Ashraf has criticized district in-charge minister for interfering in the MCC matters to appease certain people and political parties.

Speaking to press persons he said that his tenure as mayor of the city is coming to an end and the elections to elect new mayor will be held on July 24.  "The government has already reserved the mayor's post for women (lady-common) and deputy mayor's post for backward classes (A)," he added.

However, he criticized district in-charge minsiter B Nagaraj Shetty for writing to government to cancel the reservation of mayor's post to women.  "The honourable minister has written to state government to cancel the reservation for women for the mayor's post.  This action is highly condemnable.  The BJP party which is represented by the minister has already denied any post to women in the state cabinet.  Now they want to do the same in the city corporation.  But City Corporation is ruled by Congress.  So even if the government cancels reservation, BJP would not come to power," he opined.

He further demanded the government to go on with the present reservation policy and allocate the post to women for the coming year.

Meanwhile, sources close to district Congress party said that Congress women corporators have decided to protest minister B Nagaraj Shetty's action of writing to CM to cancel reservation for women.  The women corporators are said to have decided to stage protest if the government heeds to minister and cancels reservation.