Meenakshi Behera of the BJD on Friday became the new Mayor of Cuttack. A corporator of reserved Ward-45, she was declared elected to the coveted post unopposed by Director of Municipal Administration Sanjib Mishra after it was ascertained that the only nomination she had filed on the day was found to be valid.
The post of Cuttack Mayor, which is reserved for SC women for the current term, had fallen vacant since December 29 last after the then incumbent Anita Behera resigned over her alleged involvement in the ration card row.
The ruling BJD, which has the support of 45 corporators in the 58-member CMC Council, chose Meenakshi as its candidate for the by-poll. Since Meenakshi had also applied for the ration card, the opposition Congress and BJP corporators boycotted the by-poll.
Flanked by some enthusiastic party corporators, a nervous Meenakshi, struggling for words, said she would work for development of the city with the cooperation of all. She also thanked party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith in her.