By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Patna: First time in last 58 years in Independent India, a Muslim has been elected as Mayor of Bihar’s capital Patna. Afzal Imam won the mayoral election held yesterday for mayor and deputy mayor under the supervision of the District Magistrate. Imam secured 43 votes while his opponent and former mayor Sanjay Kumar just 19 votes.
The election was necessitated after the removal of Mayor Sanjay Kumar and Deputy Mayor Santosh Mehta. Sanjay and Mehta were removed after the Patna Municipal Corporation board passed a no-trust vote against them. The two challenged it in Patna High Court and a single-judge bench reinstated them but rivals approached division bench of the high court which upheld PMC board’s no-trust vote and cancelled their reinstatement. The high court ordered fresh pole for the two posts.
Vinay Kumar has won deputy mayor seat. He defeated Roop Narain, in whose favor former deputy mayor Santosh Mehta had withdrawn his candidature just before polling.
Newly elected Mayor Afzal Imam, the Councilor of Ward No 52, has assured he would take all councillors along for the development of the city.
There are 72 Ward Councillors in PMC. One boycotted the election while 71 took part in the voting.