BANGALORE: The BJP was successful in naming the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, but it is yet to name the ruling party leader in BBMP council.
With this, the newly elected Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy and his Deputy Srinivas are expected to conduct their first council meeting on April 30 with the current leader B R Nanjundappa. Nanjudappa was elected as the ruling party leader when Sharadamma took over as Mayor last year.
Murthy was elected as Mayor and L Srinivas as his deputy on April 26. Nanjundappa will continue in his post till the new leader is named. He too confirmed it. “There is no rule that party leader’s term should end with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor or Standing Committee Chairperson’s term. It is the party’s decision. But the party will soon announce the new leader’s name,” he said.
The Bangalore Core Committee consists of eight members including Home Minister R Ashok, Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali, Bangalore City BJP Unit president Subbanna, Bangalore Urban District Unit president Sachidananda Murthy and MLA Nirmal Surana. According to sources, the committee has prepared a list of three candidates - P N Sadashiva (Sunkenahalli), A L Shivakumar (Chickpet ward) and Manjunath (Shivanagar ward). However, they are yet to come to a conclusion.
Sources said that Councillor B Somashekhar (Shakambarinagar ward) is also in the race. “Somashekhar was denied Mayor’s post. Now, the party has plans to give him the ruling party leader’s post. But at the same time, there are a few councillors who are raising objections for giving all plum posts for southern part of Bangalore, including Mayor and Deputy Mayor who are from Katriguppe and Padmanabhanagar wards,” sources said.
Meanwhile, a BJP councillor said other names are also doing rounds. “Vijaynagar councillor Ravindra is one. Housing Minister V Somanna is also from the same constituency. Though on the outset, Ravindra is said to be his candidate, Somanna will not allow this as he does not want a parallel leader in his region,” sources said.