BENGALURU: Still smarting from the humiliation of failing to push through the bill in Legislative Council to divide BBMP into 2 or more smaller civic bodies, the Congress party’s strategies to wrest control of the Legislative Council from BJP have not borne the desired results.
Though the ruling party has improved its tally by winning 13 seats, one more than it had held before the polls, the Council poll result has failed to bring any significant change in political equations in the House of Elders.
BJP has scored victory in 6 seats, one short of its earlier score and it is the same story for JD(S) too which has won in four constituencies.
For Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the result has come as a face saver after the ignominy the Congress suffered in BBMP polls.
Faced with the fears of dissidents gaining more ammunition if the party’s score had fallen below 12, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has heaved a sigh of relief. The Chief Minister has lost no time in projecting it as a commendable performance pointing to the fact that the party had improved its tally despite the troubles posed by its own rebels in the fray. But the tally has fallen short of his calculations to alter the political equations in the Legislative Council.
The BJP will continue to be the single largest party in Council with 30 members, including Chairman D H Shankaramurthy. Congress is just behind with 29 members. While JD(S) now has 11 members, the strength of independents has gone up from the earlier 4 to 5.
With Wednesday’s results, Congress’s plans to have its own member in Chairman’s seat would have to wait a little longer.
However, Congress has gained a little more leverage in countering BJP in the house by cosying up to five independents.
Setback for Gowda, BSY
The Council poll results have stumped two biggies of state politics, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and BJP strongman B S Yeddyurappa. Congress has humbled JD(S) in Deve Gowda’s political turf Hassan, which has come as a shocker for the party. The victory is being seen as first signs of Congress recovery in the district, where Congress cadres are oozing new vigour after A Manju was inducted into the ministry. In Shivamogga, BJP candidate R K Siddaramanna has been relegated to third place as Congress romped home.