Mangaluru: Newly-elected mayor K Bhaskar Moily, who has more than three decades of experience as a corporator, says he would like to convert Mangaluru into a model city.

“The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has received several awards for cleanliness and for providing better amenities. However, there are many problems faced by the city, which the city corporation needs to solve on a priority.

I’m confident that I can solve most of the problems with the help of corporators and the general public during my tenure as the mayor. I will do my best to see that Mangaluru becomes a model city,” Moily said.

Thanking Congress leaders and corporators for making his path to the post smooth, Moily said he expected cooperation from all people’s representatives and general public in the future too.

“All corporators, cutting across political lines, are very hard working. The honest efforts on the part of each corporator have helped the city to develop fast, on par with the cities in developed nations,” he added.

Outgoing mayor Kavitha Sanil congratulated Moily and deputy mayor Mohammed Kunjathbail on being elected. She said, “Let the mayor and deputy mayor respond to the grievances of the people and work hard to develop the city. I have served as the mayor with utmost sincerity and dedication. I have put in honest efforts to implement development schemes. I thank corporators for their cooperation.”

Opposition leader Ganesh Hosabettu from the BJP said the people expect good work from the new mayor, who has several years of experience in politics. “There are many challenges before the new mayor. Let him take challenges as opportunities, to prove his capabilities as a seasoned politician. The new mayor should concentrate on solving major issues that people face in the city,” Hosabettu said.

Another corporator from BJP, Sudheer Shetty, appealed to the new mayor to serve the city without any bias. “Don’t look at the political affiliations of the corporators while implementing development works,” he suggested.

Congress corporator Asha D’Silva said the new mayor and deputy mayor, who were elected on International Women’s Day, should give more prominence to the development of wards, from where women are elected.