Karnataka civic polls: JD(S) wins Old Mysuru handsomely, BJP gains at Congress’ cost

BJP gained significantly in Chamarajanagar municipality, won 13 seats in Hassan and preformed better when compared to the previous ULB polls in Mandya.

People celebrating outside a counting centre in Mysuru | Udayshankar S

MYSURU: The JD(S) continues to fly high in its bastion of Old Mysuru region, outperforming Congress in the ULB polls. The BJP made noticeable inroads into the region at the expense of Congress. If the results are of any indication, Congress seems to have paid a price for its alliance with JD(S) at the state level, while the latter has managed to tighten its grip on its strongholds.

The BJP shocked both the Congress and JD(S) by emerging as the single largest party in Mysuru City Corporation, the home turf of former CM Siddaramaiah. It gained significantly in Chamarajanagar municipality, won 13 seats in Hassan and preformed better when compared to the previous ULB polls in Mandya.

The JD(S) put up its best ever performance in Hassan and Tumakuru districts. Barring Madugiri, the party secured power in other ULBs of Tumakuru. The fractured mandate in Tumkuru corporation is set to bring a Congress-JD(S) combine to power. BJP has emerged as the principal opposition in Mysuru and Hassan. Congress depends on JD(S) in many places, including Mysuru city.

The JD(S) coasted to power in Mandya on its own winning 18 of 35 seats, whereas the Congress won 10 and the BJP two. There are five independents. The JD(S) wrested power from Congress in Pandavapura winning 18 of 23 seats. In Maddur, JD(S) won 12 of 23 seats with the Congress finishing with four. The BJP has opened its account in all these ULBs. In Nagamanagala, former minister N Chaluvarayaswamy averted a JD(S) walkover as the party was made to sweat to win 12 of 23 seats. Bellur has gone in favour of Congress.

The Congress lost in minister Puttaranaga Shetty’s home turf of Chamarajanagar town, with the BJP winning 15 of 31 seats. The Congress finished with seven seats and SDPI won six. The BJP banks on the lone Independent to clinch power. The Congress managed to win 11 seats in Kollegal. While the Congress lost to JD(S) in Periyapatna town, it retained power in HD Kote and T Narsipur. The JD(S) swept all the 23 seats in H D Revenna’s home turf of Holenarasipura.

The results in Old Mysuru have worried the Congressmen who fear that the outcome would demoralise the party workers and local leaders in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. The failure of Congress workers to come to terms with the political alignment after the recent Assembly polls and their reluctantance to accept JD(S) as the coalition partner at the ground level made many of them keep away from campaigning. The BJP gained from the differences in the Congress.