BENGALURU: With 36 out of 224 seats in the state Assembly, the JD(S) was successful in getting the Chief Minister’s post. Now, with 15 members out of 198 in the BBMP Council, the party is demanding the Mayoral post. The incumbent Sampath Raj and Deputy Mayor Padmavathi’s term will be completed by the end of September.
The Congress and JD(S) coalition in the state government have kept the single largest party — BJP — out of power. A similar strategy was used in the BBMP Council in 2015. The BJP had won 100 seats and has the support of one independent, Congress had won 75 and JD(S) 14, while six independents supported to bring the Congress-JD(S) combine to rule the BBMP Council.
The BJP is the single largest party in the BBMP Council. Apart from BBMP Councillors, MLAs, MLCs and MPs with Bengaluru residential address can also vote for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. With this, the Congress-JD(S) alliance numbers are more than the BJP. Since 2015, there has been mutual understanding among the two parties, where a Congress member would become Mayor and JD(S) Deputy in the last three terms. This time, reservation for the Mayor’s post is for a woman and deputy a General category. Now, with the JD(S) in power in the state, it is also trying its luck in the BBMP.
“JD(S) has extended its support to Congress in the last three years. We are just asking for one year term for JD(S). We have been appealing to them to give the Mayoral post to us and let Congress keep Deputy this time. We will discuss this soon,’’ Mahalakshmipura JD(S) MLA Gopalaiah told The New Indian Express.
There are seven women councillors in the JD(S). One of the strongest contender is Hemalatha, wife of Gopalaiah , who earlier served as Deputy Mayor.
While Congress has two candidates — Sowmya Shivakumar from Shanthinagar ward and Gangambike from Jayanagar ward, who has the backing of the Lingayat community. There has been no representation for this community in the BBMP/BMP in the last 20 years and various associations have appealed to the Congress to make her the mayor.
When asked about the JD(S) demand, ruling party leader M Shivaraj said this time it will be a Congress mayor. According to him, there are 259 voters for the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections. “Together with Congress, JD(S) and independents, our strength is 137 seats, while the BJP has just 122,’’ he said.
The BJP on the other hand is trying its luck. “We do not know how many of them are valid voters from Congress and JD(S). We will field our candidate anyway,’’ said a BJP member.