BENGALURU: BJP has done it again. The much promised battle for electing the new Mayor proved to be a dud affair with the BJP dropping the gun despite being close enough to hit the target. Unlike previous years, BJP had a better chance as it needed to muster support of just two more corporators to upset the Congess-JD(S) coalition partners. But the party leadership threw in the towel by staging a walkout even as the rival camp was having a tough time to keep its flock together.
Shying away from a fight has now become a norm for the state BJP as the trend, which was witnessed during B S Yeddyurappa’s floor test when he quit as Chief Minister without pressing for voting. The party preferred not to put up a candidate for the post of Assembly Speaker too after arising expectations of a contest. The party showcased itself to be battle-scared yet again during the recent bypoll for three MLC seats as the leadership decided not to field any candidate just a couple of hours before the deadline for filing of nominations.
It was the same script on Friday too at the BBMP Council. Of the 259 eligible voters, five were absent and one was not allowed to vote as she was late to the election. With this, there were 253 voters with one needing 127 votes for a victory.
BJP had 121 (excluding Nirmala Seetharaman and Ananth Kumar who were absent). It was successful in getting two independents, Ramesh from Marathahalli ward (who stick to BJP), while the second one Anand Kumar just slipped at the last minute to Congress. BJP was also successful in getting two JD(S) councillors Manjula Narayanaswamy and Devadas, but when BJP walked out, the duo were driven to JD(S).
A senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity told The New Indian Express that all they needed was two votes. “There were a few Congress councillors who were upset with some of their leaders. Asha Suresh, who always complained about MLA Munirathna, was absent. If BJP had convinced her, she would have voted for BJP. This is a close miss, we were so near. Being the single largest party in BBMP Council, it is unfortunate that we are sitting in the opposition,’’ the leader said.
WHY WALKOUT?
Opposition leader in the Council Padmanabha Reddy said the party staged a walkout owing to several rules being flouted in the election process. He said, “The door to the council hall was supposed to be shut at 11.30 am, but was instead kept open until 12.45 pm, during which time many Congress voters entered it.”
Secondly, Reddy alleged that independent candidate Anand Kumar, who had initially sided with the BJP, was intimidated by Congress supporters and “hooligans” to change his support. Incidentally, Kumar had arrived at the BBMP office with BJP leader R Ashok.
Reddy had also submitted a complaint last week to the Election Commission alleging that four of Congress’ voters — MP Jairam Ramesh and MLCs G Raghu Achar, C R Manohar and V S Ugrappa — should not be allowed to vote in Bengaluru.
However, the regional election officer presiding over the process, rejected Reddy’s complaint during the proceedings, which was the incident that triggered the walkout.
Notice to Baig
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) issued notice to party MLA R Roshan Baig, who abstained from the mayoral elections. KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao said notice has been sent seeking explanation for abstaining from the elections.