Mangaluru : Jacintha Vijaya Alfred (45) and Purushothama Chitrapura (44) were elected as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mangaluru in an election conducted on Thursday. Both would be in office till March 11, 2016. The election was presided over by S.S. Pattanashetty, Regional Commissioner, Mysuru.

Ms. Jacintha, who contested from Congress, defeated Roopa D. Bangera of the BJP by 38-20 votes. Mr. Purushothama was elected over K. Rajesh of the BJP by 37-20 votes.

In the Congress led 60-member Mangaluru City Corporation council the Congress has 35 seats followed by the BJP with 20 seats. The JD (S) has two seats and the Communist Party of India (Marxists), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and an Independent has a seat each.

Members of the JD (S), CPI (M), SDPI and an Independent remained neutral and did not cast votes.

Except Ganesh Karnik, MLC and Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, other 63 members participated in the election. When the membership of legislators (MLAs, MLCs and MP) taken into account, the council has a total of 65 seats.