Urdu corporators fix trade at Rs 15 lakh

9:40 PM Posted by ukmad

Even after assuring deputy mayor's post, the eight member Urdu speaking corporators of Belgaum City Corporation, have demanded Rs 15 lakh from Kannada group to stand in favour of them in the mayoral polls.However, the Kannada faction which was all prepared for the elections have agreed for the new demand with a condition of not to support the Urdu group in the elections to deputy mayor's post. Urdu group, according to sources, was expected to withdraw the demand to enjoy the deputy mayor's post.Kannada corporators are angry on former MLA Ramesh Kudachi and Deputy Speaker in Legislative Council Sachidanand Khot for not showing interest in the mayoral polls. The 11 member Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi was trying to dominate the 18 member Marathi speaking corporator group. Renu Killekar, Manda Balekundri, Neelima Pawase and Anita Kutre are in the race for mayor elections. MES, according to sources, has ‘auctioned' the mayor's seat for which the lowest ‘EDM' is Rs 10 lakh. Neelima is the favourate candidate as she, according to sources, is a successful ‘bidder'. The sum of EMD, except successful bidder, is refundable.MES may field Sambhaji Chavan for deputy mayor's post as he once was a strong contender of Sambhajirao Patil. Kannada aspirant candidates- Jyoti Bhavikatti, Shanta Uppar and Prashnata Budavi, according sources, have given Rs 6 lakh each to a senior corporator to make them first citizen of the city.
source: New Indian Express

Corporators come out of hibernation

4:51 PM Posted by ukmad

As the day to elect the Belgaum Mayor is fast approaching, the corporators who were cooling their heels for the last five months after winning the polls, are active again. If observed the present political scenario, the group of corporators led by Kannada group may sit on the driver’s seat to drive the Corporation bus.Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) has failed to gather the Marathi linguistic corporators under one roof and has adopted ‘wait and watch’ policy which indicates its helplessness.Even though the number of seats won by MES, non-MES Marathi linguistics, Kannada and Urdu groups are equal, non-Marathi factions has upper hand to rule the BCC as it has an extra vote of MP Suresh Angadi.MES has won 11 seats, Marathi linguistics 16, Kannada including Sambhajirao Patil and two of his supporters has 21 seats and eight corporators belong to the Urdu group.Urdu group, who will play a decision making role in holding power, had played a little political gimmick in the beginning to establish its importance. After the election, they had extended their support to Kannada group and announced its solidarity with the Kannada group. However, later, they decided to remain independent and kept their options open to back any faction that will support an Urdu candidate for the Mayor’s post.This decision by the Urdu group gave MES a re-birth, who made a vain bid to attract the Urdu group. However, the Urdu candidates refused to go with the MES and decided to remain with the Kannada group. It was decided that a Kannada corporator will be the Mayor, while an Urdu candidate will enjoy the powers of Deputy Mayor.It was also decided to keep four-time mayor Sambhajirao Patil away from the decision making process. Patil, who played vital role in electing mayors in previous terms, will now stay away from the mayoral activity.Even though it is an insult to Patil, he has no other option but to accept the Kannada group’s decision.According to latest developments, the Kannada candidates have suggested the names of Jyoti Bhavikatti and Shanta Uppar for the Mayor’s post. Jyoti is the favourate as Shanta was one of the six corporators who had cast their votes in favour of former mayor Vijay More in the last election. If things go according to the plan, Belgaum city will get second Kannada and Urdu linguistics mayor and deputy mayor. Siddangouda Patil and Nisarahmed Sanadi were the first Kannada and Urdu mayor and deputy mayor, respectively.Manda Balekundri, Latha Patil, Renu Killekar, Neelima Pawase, Anita Kitwadkar and Aruna Kutre are interested to contest for the mayor’s post from the MES camp.

Source: The NewIndian Express

Things getting hotter for the Post of Mayor

4:51 PM Posted by ukmad

The election of the post of Mayor and Dy.Mayor will be held on 4th of March. It has been over 4 months the corporators have been elected but the city did not have a Mayor. The tug of war between Kannada group and Marathi group is on its acme. The best thing is the equation is 30-29 in favor of the Kannada group. The urdu group is with the Kannada Group. The marathi group has been taken to somewhere in Konkan area so that there is no more infighting and divide.
If the situation goes as it is now a Kannada group mayor is certain this time I guess.

But in politics anything can happen. I will keep you all posted.

Find your name in the voters List: Be ready to vote

6:12 PM Posted by ukmad

The Electoral Rolls are being revised. The same is available to see on the Internet.

Just click on the link below:
http://164.100.80.116/electoraldata/Part_List.asp?AC=197&ACNm=BELAGAUM
You will see a page in Kannada fonts. Try and make out your area(i.e.Your pooling booth) and click on it. A pdf file will open again all in Kannada just find your name in it.

If your name is not there then click the link below:
http://164.100.80.116/eci/Default.asp

I don't know whether this thing of E-registration will work or no, but do give it a try. My name appeared in the voters list.

At the moment all the voters list have been revised. And the Electoral officers are now visiting houses to know whether you have the Voter ID card. If you don't have one, a public Advertisement will be given as on when and where the VOTER ID cards will be made. I may also cover it so keep a watch.

Come ON... In a Democracy We must Vote and To Vote your name must be there in the Voters list.

94,628 bogus voters in Belgaum

11:12 AM Posted by ukmad

Taken from Express News Service
Belgaum district with 18 Assembly segments has 94,628 bogus voters. The electoral staff deployed to trace out spurious voters from the voters’ list, has traced these names which were enrolled illegally.Disclosing this to reporters here on Friday, Deputy Commissioner M E Shivalingmurthy said the voters’ registrar office is engaged in erasing such names from the electoral roll under the People Representation Act 21 and 21 A.He said the staff conducted survey in three phases in all the 2,704 polling stations in the district from November 14, 2007 to Jan 5, 2008. After deleting the spurious names, the district will now has 28,87,155 voters which is 62.40% of the approximate 43,94,668 population.He said the department had started another special survey from Friday to trace out remaining illegal names in the electoral list. The survey will end on Jan 20.The survey team which will visit all the houses, will register new eligible voters in the voters’ list. The DC said people can file their complaints, grievances in the electoral office in two weeks time. The final voters’ list will be released on Feb 7, 2008.

Ek se Do Bhale Do se Teen Bhale: Belgaum Constituency RECONSTRUCTED

1:35 PM Posted by ukmad

All the election Constituency through out India have been redefined and Karnataka can be the first state to go to polls under these new Constituencies. The Central Govt has given its final approval and now waits only the Presidents Signature may be.

Some parties have opposed the way in which this exercise was done. But now Belgaum has been divided into 3 parts. Basically two parts of the old 197 Belgaum Constituency. It is renamed as Belgaum NORTH & Belgaum SOUTH. The other one is Belgaum RURAL.

If elections are held by this new Constituency, I tell you it will be fun. The Marathi's and the Kannadigas will have to fight two places. And the best part is the Marathi voters have been equally divided in North and South. Mahadwar road, Tashildar Galli etc Marathi strong hold fall in NORTH and Vadgaon, Tilakwadi areas and Shahpur fall in South.
I have given a list of areas included in both the Constituency here.
You can click here to read for more details, as to know which Constituency you now belong to.

I can assure you Belgaumites, now that we will have 2 (leave the rural) MLAs will that make any difference to us, that’s to wait and see.