BENGALURU: Congress MLA Byrathi Basavaraj on Sunday said the independent corporators approached him seeking development of their respective wards.
Basavaraj took the lead to take the independent corporators to a safe location in Kerala to prevent them from being poached by political rivals.
He told Express, “The corporators said they want to support the government and by this, they feel that their area can be developed well.”
JD(S) Meet on Sept 5
As the independents continue to stay away from the state as they wait for a decision, JD(S) corporators have been asked to come back for the party meeting on September 5.
“We have been instructed to attend the party meeting. The party’s stand will be announced on September 5 by H D Kumaraswamy,” said K Gopalaiah, Mahalakshmipuram MLA.
BJP strongman in the City Corporation, C K Ramamurthy has hinted at BJP’s intention to disrupt the council proceedings and not to accept any resolution. “We have the numbers and will not accept the decisions taken by the ruling council if this ‘unholy nexus’ comes in to existence,” he told Express.
Mayor Aspirants Speak
With talk of a Congress-JD(S) alliance to keep BJP in the opposition in the BBMP council getting louder, the seniors in Congress threw their hat in the ring.
Four-time corporator from Prakashnagar and the first woman to serve as opposition leader in the council of 1990 and ruling party leader in 1996 during KHM Simha’s tenure as Mayor, G Padmavathi said, she has seen how the corporation works.
“The bad administration of BJP in the last five years and unwelcome decisions like pledging properties, looting public money, failure in dealing with garbage and bad roads will give us a chance to rebuild the Congress fort in the City,” said Padmavathi.
A R Zakir, another strong contender for the post from Pulakeshinagar ward, who won for the third time, said, “If this coalition works, the deputy mayor’s post will go to JD(S). Since the mayor’s post will be given to the party that has majority seats, I am hoping that my records will not be overlooked and I will be considered.
“Similarly, M K Gunashekhar from Jayamahal and Manjunath Reddy from Madiwala, who have won for the third time from their wards, are also aspiring for the post”, he added.
“We will bring financial discipline if we come to power and our leaders will decide on the mayoral posts if things work,” said Manjunath Reddy.