BANGALORE: Kathriguppe corporator D Venkatesh Murthy of BJP was today unanimously elected Mayor of the Bruhut Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Padmanabha Nagar ward corporator L Srinivas his deputy.
With just a year remaining for the next Assembly elections in the state, election of Murthy to the post is seen as a ploy to appease Kuruba community to which he belongs to.
He is also the state senior Vice-President of Kuruba Samaja and State President of Sangolli Rayanna Hitarakshana Samiti.
However, the quest to finalise mayoral candidate proved to be an herculean task for the BJP. While a section favoured Somashekar as Mayor, another wanted Murthy. Both belong to the Kuruba community.
Outgoing Mayor R Sharadamma and deputy mayor S Harish handed over charge to their successors on completion of their one-year term.
After quitting KSRTC in 1992, he joined the BJP and won corporation elections in 1996, 2001 and 2009.
Election to Opposition leader of BBMP Council would be held on April 30, BBMP PRO Shivasharanappa S Khandre said.