BANGALORE: Minister for Primary Education Ramalinga Reddy said on Thursday that the Congress will not impose the candidate for Mayor on the corporators of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.

Along with it goes the riddle contained in an enigma, the envelope containing the name of the party nominee, which on several occasions made those who lose the race unhappy.

The term of Mayor Narayanaswamy is due to end this month and there is already hectic lobbying in Congress circles for the coveted post.

This time, the name of the mayoral candidate will be announced three days in advance, going by the words of Mr. Reddy, who is Minister in charge of Bangalore Urban District and also president of the Bangalore Urban District Congress Committee, which has a major role in the selection of the Mayoral candidate.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Reddy said that hitherto the practice was for the party in power at the State level to send the name in a sealed envelope, and the nominee used to be announced just before the time fixed for the election. He said under the reservation system, this year, a woman councillor has to be elected Mayor. Accordingly, the Congress, he said would choose a woman among either the Backward Classes or from the minority category.

Mr. Reddy said that four candidates — Mumtaz Begum, Jayalakshmi and Shanta Kumari (all former deputy mayors) and Nazreen Naaz — are in the race. He will hold discussions with Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Mallikarjuna Kharge before taking a decision. The election to the posts of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be held on November 28.

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