BENGALURU: Senior MLAs from Bengaluru — Ramalinga Reddy and KJ George — who were eyeing the Bengaluru Development Minister’s post, seem to have another fight in the offing. This time, it is for the Bengaluru mayor’s post with both keen to field their favourite candidates. This time, the mayor’s post is reserved for a woman candidate while the deputy mayor’s post is for a candidate from the general category.
The mayoral election will be held on September 28, and with hardly a week left, senior leaders from Congress have started lobbying for the mayor’s post. As there are Lok Sabha elections in 2019, with all three MPs from BJP, it will be crucial for Congress to open their MP account from Bengaluru.The Congress-JD(S) coalition has kept the single largest party — BJP — out of power in the state. A similar strategy was used in BBMP Council in 2015. BJP had won 101 seats (including one independent support), Congress (76), JDS (14), while six independents supported to bring the Congress-JDS alliance in BBMP Council.
From Congress, three women councillor are in the race — Gangambike Mallikarjun from Jayanagara ward, Sowmya Shivakumar from Shanthinagar ward and Lavanya Ganesha Reddy from Lingarajapuram ward. While Gangambike has Ramalinga Reddy’s support, Soumya is backed by NA Haris and Lavanya has K J George’s support.
A senior Congress leader on anonymity told The New Indian Express that there is a tough competition between George’s and Ramalinga Reddy’s candidates as both have taken it personally.Competition between the two is not new. In the previous government, while George wanted to take Home minister’s profile for the second term, Ramalinga Reddy was given the portfolio. This time in the coalition, both wanted Bengaluru Development minister’s post, but right now it is with Parameshwara.
BJP HAS 62 WOMEN CANDIDATES
The JDS too is demanding the mayor’s post. JD(S) leaders say in the coalition government of the last three terms, they allowed Congress to take the mayor’s post. This time, JD(S) should take up Mayor’s post as there is a CM from the same party, said a senior JD(S) leader. BJP too is fielding their candidates. “We have 62 women candidates and this time they are from General category, so all are eligible. We have not finalised the candidate. Next week, under the leadership of senior leader R Ashok, a meeting will be convened. We will contest for sure,’’ Padmanabha Reddy, Opposition party leader in BBMP Council said.