Cong-JD(S) Tie-up Will Affect Development: Experts

BENGALURU:With the Congress and the JD(S) trying to form an alliance to wrest the BBMP from the BJP, experts feel that the resulting uncertainty will hamper the civic body’s administration and the city’s development.

An urban expert who did not wish to be identified blamed this on Bengaluru’s citizens who did not vote to give a clear mandate to one party to form a stable administration.

“Though the JD(S) with the least number of seats and the Congress with reasonably good numbers are going ahead to form a coalition, it is the former who will have the upper hand in the BBMP Council,” he said.

“In the JD(S), as everyone knows, the father-son duo matters more than the party. We have seen what happened to the BJP-JD(S) coalition government in 2006. This party with the least numbers will want to have the final say in the BBMP. This will affect the party ruling the state.”

Further, he said if the alliance comes to power in the Council, the JD(S) will eye the mayoral and other plum posts. “There are more than 120 members in the coalition. Satisfying each one of them will be a Herculean task. The coalition will end up spending more time on this than on focusing on the city’s development.”

He also felt that the Congress knows the consequence of aligning with the JD(S). “But this coalition seems to be a short-term measure to prevent the BJP from coming back to power. In six months to one year, the Congress and JD(S) will fall apart, which means the Council will be dissolved. The state government is likely to do some restructuring and fresh elections will be declared,” he said.

Crucial Selection

Former chief secretary A Ravindra, who was also City Corporation Commissioner, said it all depends on the mayoral selection. “If the mayor is from the BJP, there will not be much of a problem. But if the mayor is from either of the coalition partners, there will be problems and confusion,” he said.

In the beginning, JD(S) and Congress members may come to power. But during council meetings, when many resolutions are passed, a party needs majority. At that time, the BJP will have the upper hand, he said.

Ravindra pointed out that one should respect the people’s verdict. “Non-elected members, like from the Rajya Sabha and MLCs, voting for mayoral candidates is not fair in a democracy. Also, infighting between the Congress and JD(S) might explode any time and people will suffer.”

Meanwhile, BBMP officials are unhappy with this development. “At some point, each party will want to have its say. One party member will direct us to do one work while the other will say the opposite. We will be at the receiving end from both the parties,” an engineering department official said.

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