BENGALURU: Confusion reins over the exact strength required in the electoral college to elect the city’s mayor. Each party is quoting its own number, ranging from 255 to 261, to suit its convenience.
Expressing serious concern over the confusion, BJP has demanded that the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district release the list of eligible voters.
Apart from the 198 corporators, MLAs and Lok Sabha members whose constituencies have BBMP jurisdictional areas, and MLCs and Rajya Sabha members who are voters of Bengaluru are also eligible to vote in the mayoral election.
While BJP leaders put the total strength of the electoral college at 256 and claimed to have an electoral strength of 126, including the support of one independent corporator, Bengaluru in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy put it at 261.
Reddy claimed that Congress had the support of 132 members, which includes 76 Congress corporators, 14 JD(S), one SDPI, and six independents. However, he declined to explain the basis for his numbers.
It is still not clear whether the nominated members in Rajya Sabha, Legislative Council and Assembly are eligible to vote. If nominated members are eligible then even Vinisha Nero, a nominated member of the Assembly, will be eligible to vote.
BJP has raised objection to Congress’ claims. Speaking to Express, a senior BJP leader said the Congress was trying to interpret the rules on eligibility for voting in mayoral election to suit its purpose.
It has demanded that the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner immediately release the list of eligible voters to end the confusion.