It's women's raj in ZP; KT Shailaja elected Prez, Dhanalaxmi her Deputy

Mangalore, February 8: BJP re-established its firm grip on Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat when its nominees KT Shailaja Bhat and Dhanalaxmi Janardana D got elected as President and Vice-President respectively on Tuesday in the election held at Nethravathi Auditorium of ZP here.

While Shailaja from Vittla constituency defeated former ZP President Mamatha D S Gatti of the Congress to the post of President, Dhanalakshmi from Dharmasthala defeated former ZP member Yashawanthi Alva to the post of vice-president by an identical 24-11 margin.

Mysore Regional Commissioner M.V. Jayanthi, who conducted the election, declared that KT Shailaja and Dhanalaxmi got elected and will be holding the office till October 7, 2012. CEO of ZP P Shivashankar, Additional Deputy Commissioner Prabhakar Sharma were present.

Speaking to media persons later, Shailaja Bhat said she would accord priority to basic amenities in the district and would focus on roads and other amenities in rural areas.

“I had never been an aspirant to the post of ZP President. But I am grateful to my party which selected me,” she said.

Women's raj

With this election, both the top posts of the district-level local government have gone to women as both the posts were reserved for women's category.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP District unit President Padmanabha Kottary, former ZP President Santhosh Kumar Bhandary and BJP workers in large numbers congratulated the winners.