MYSURU: Ending days of confusion and Congress-JD(S) power struggle, Congress candidate Pushpalatha Jagannath was elected mayor of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) on Saturday. JD(S) candidate Shafi Ahmed was elected Deputy Mayor, defeating his nearest rival from the opposition BJP. The Congress has 19 corporators, two legislators and managed to win over four independents. With this victory, the Congress-JD(S) combine has sent a strong message that their coalition in the state will continue. The combine had a smooth sail in the mayoral polls, clinching both the top posts in the civic body.
The Congress corporator was elected the 21st Mayor of the city with 48 votes while BJP’s Sunanda Palnetra managed to get only 24 votes. Pushpalatha thanked former chief minister Siddaramaiah for making her the Mayor of Mysuru city.
Clearly following the formula scripted by heads of the parties in Bengaluru, the Deputy Mayor’s post was bagged by the JD(S) corporator. Sources said the coalition partners had worked out a formula for their association in the city corporation where the Congress would get two terms at the Mayor’s post and the JD(S) three terms through rotation.
Pushpalatha bagged the votes of four independents and the lone BSP corporator, apart from 21 votes of Congress and 22 votes of JD(S). Along with the votes of 18 corporators, the Congress has the support of Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait and MLC R Dharmasena while the JD(S) has got votes of District Minister G T Devegowda apart from their 18 corporators.