Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Ramesh's supporters have a field day

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE Nov. 28. It was a show of strength by the new Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, on Friday. A large group of his supporters followed him and were seen garlanding him in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council hall where outsiders are allowed. Flower petals were scattered on the dais where the Mayor and his deputy are seated. The visitors' gallery was full of Mr. Ramesh's supporters and his family members.

The fan following was so much that the supporters also gathered in the hall where Mr. Ramesh held his maiden press conference as Mayor.

Several cars and other vehicles decorated with flowers, banners, and buntings were seen moving around on the BMP premises.

Unlike last year, this time around proper seating arrangements were made for former mayors in the officers' gallery. Last year, the former mayors had to witness the proceedings standing as no seating arrangements were made for them.

The BMP Council hall resembled a marriage choultry. The entrance to the hall was decorated with garlands, and exquisite flower arrangements and bouquets greeted people at the main entrance.

Corporators were seen in their best attire with women members dressed in silk saris. The hall was so crowded that presspersons did not have seats. Some photographers had an altercation with the officers after they were not allowed to take pictures from the well of the House.

The Sagayapuram corporator, Marimuttu, the JD(S) nominee for the Deputy Mayor's post, literally pleaded for votes in her favour in the council hall. With folded hands, she requested the Minister for Small-scale Industries and Haj, R. Roshan Baig (who represents Jayamahal in which her ward falls) to vote for a candidate of his constituency. "Nanu nimma `constitency' navalu (she was not able to pronounce constituency clearly). Nanage mosa madabedi", she said.

And, to her wonder, she bagged the second highest votes, and everyone referred to her as "Puratchi Thalaivi", a term used to address the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa.

Traffic was disrupted at N.R. Square after the new Mayor came out of the council hall. The reason being his supporters were bursting crackers to celebrate his election. They were unmindful of the nuisance it was causing to motorists.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Public holidays in 2004 announced
• Ramesh's supporters have a field day
• Architects, engineers should use IT: Dattatreya
• Editor of Urdu daily dies of injuries
• Notices on seat matrix in two new colleges ordered
• Bhat responds to summons
• Students help IISc. prepare data on resources
• Efforts on to reduce BTPS project period
• Biodiversity Board constituted
• Importance of Gita highlighted
• Hotel employee threatens suicide over CBI probe
• Patrolling system to change
• HC seeks explanation from Mariswamy
• Involvement of youth in crime rising

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu