KOZHIKODE: Thottathil Raveendran was sworn in as the 26th Mayor of Kozhikode Corporation on Thursday. He won 46 out of the 71 polled votes whereas his opponents UDF’s P.M. Suresh Babu got 19 votes and BJP’s N. Satheesh Kumar six. District collector N. Prasanth was the returning officer. The mayor post fell vacant following the election of Mr V.K.C. Mammed Koya to the Assembly from Beypore constituency.
Nadakkavu councillor P. Kishan Chand , Parayancheri councillor Anitha Rajan and Karapparamba councillor Navya Haridas couldn't attend the election due to health issues. The election process started at 11 a.m. when NCP councillor N.P. Padmanabhan proposed Mr Thottathil Raveendran's name and CPI's Asha Sashankan seconded him.
IUML's C. Abdu Rahiman proposed P.M. Suresh Babu's name and JD(U)'s Thomas Mathew seconded. Nambidi Narayanan nominated Satheesh Kumar's name and E. Prasanth Kumar seconded. The collector administered the oath of office to Mr Raveendran. His predecessor Mr Mammed Koya handed over the black mayoral gown embroidered with golden colour leaves. Various party leaders, fellow councillors, former mayors and MLAs felicitated the first citizen of Kozhikode city.
In the council meeting held after the election, the party leaders extended support to the new mayor.
Mr Raveendran is the first mayor to complete the full five-year term in office (2000-2005) since the formation of the corporation council in 1962. Mr. Raveendran had been a councillor continuously for four terms since 1979. He also had a stint as the Deputy Mayor and for a brief term of one month as Mayor- in-charge in 1998. Representing Chakkorathukulam ward in the present council, Mr Raveendran also held the office of Guruvayoor Devaswom Board chairman.
