Meenakshi and Kasturi : Two Women Heading DK Zilla Panchayat
Mangaluru: In the elections held for the posts of president and vice president of the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat on Thursday, two women were chosen the top two posts.
Meenakshi Shantigodu and Kasturi Panja
Meenakshi Shantigodu, representing the Panaje constituency, was elected the president and Kasturi Panja representing Kateel the vice president.
With the BJP holding 21 seats and Congress 15, the victory of the former’s candidates was a foregone conclusion. Yet Congress gave a token fight and stood second with 15 votes intact for Shekhar Kukkedi from Aladangadi and Anita Hemanath Shetty from Nettanige Mudnur.
The president’s post was reserved for the scheduled castes and the deputy was for women in general category.
Mysuru regional commissioner A M Kunjappa conducted the election process.
For the first time ever, the president of the ZP has been given the status of a minister of state under the amended Panchayat Raj laws.
