Cuttack, Jan. 22: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) councillor from ward No.45 Minakshee Behera was today elected as the mayor of the municipal corporation.

This gives the city its second mayor in less than two years. The posts of mayor and councillor of ward No. 21 had both fallen vacant following the resignation of Anita Behera in the wake of the ongoing ration card row. Anita had become mayor on Feb 14, 2014.

Minakshee was elected unopposed, said director of municipal administration Sanjib Mishra. She thus becomes the third woman to occupy the coveted post after BJP's Nibedita Pradhan and BJD's Anita Behera.

"I was earlier concerned about the development of my ward. However, now, I will have to ensure development of the entire city ," Minakshee told The Telegraph.

The Opposition Congress, on the other hand, had boycotted the proceedings for the mayor's election today.

"As the mayor's post is a constitutional one, the candidate should have a clean background. But the BJD has again committed a mistake by selecting Minakshee as she had also applied for a ration card," said Giribala Behera, Congress councillor from ward No.4.

Bikash Ranjan Behera, BJD councillor from ward No. 9, said Sources said there was confusion among BJD leaders over the selection of the next mayor as two councillors from Choudwar-Cuttack constituency - Sulochana Sethi and Minakshee Behera - were the only two left for the party to choose from after Anita Behera's resignation over ration card fiasco.

As the post of mayor was earlier earmarked for councillor from Barabati-Cuttack constituency, a section of the party members wanted the administration to hold the mayoral by-election after the councillor of ward No. 21, which has also fallen vacant, was elected.

BJD sources said as the post of deputy mayor has been earmarked for candidate elected from Choudwar-Cuttack constituency, the selection of mayor from the same constituency might upset the party leaders and worker from Barabati Cuttack constituency.