NDA-backed Sita Sahu is first woman mayor of Patna

Sita Sahu, a councillor from ward number 58 of Patna City area, defeated Rajni Rai by three votes in a close contest in Patna here on Monday.

Sita Sahu will be Patna’s first woman chief councillor, also referred to as ‘mayor’ in common parlance.

Newly elected Patna mayor Sita Sahu(HT photo/Santosh)

Sahu, a councillor from ward number 58 of Patna City area, defeated Rajni Rai by three votes in a close contest in Patna here on Monday. She polled 38 votes in the 75-member Patna Municipal Corporation. Rai, who was elected from ward number 22C of Digha locality, secured 35 votes. Two votes were declared invalid.

The PMC elections were held on June 4 and the post of chief councillor this time was reserved for woman.

NDA-supported Vinay Kumar Pappu , councillor from ward number 28, was elected deputy mayor.

The chief councillor’s election was seen as a proxy match between the ruling Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as the two alliances had pitched their support behind them. Municipal elections in Bihar are not held on party lines.

Rai, an activist of the JD(U), had the backing of GA. The NDA had supported Sahu, who was associated with the BJP for a long time.

The rivals had indulged in hectic lobbying and dinner diplomacy to win the support of the councillors.

If sources in the PMC were to be believed, Rai, to keep her flock together before the crucial poll, had sent her group of councillors to Kolkata. Sahu also arranged a junket visit to Deoghar and adjacent places for the councillors supporting her.

Elaborate security arrangements were made at the election venue and only the elected ward councillors were allowed inside to vote.