The Hindu : Lobbying on for BMP nominations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 17, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Lobbying on for BMP nominations

By Afshan Yasmeen

BANGALORE Dec. 16. After the mayoral and standing committee election, it is time for nominations to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council.

Lobbying for nominations began soon after the Government announced doubling the number of nominated members in the council to 10 a few days prior to the mayoral elections.

Although the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act states that the Government can nominate eminent persons, including social workers, to the council, it has over the years become a practice to nominate only "social workers". This is the only way to pacify disgruntled party members who were denied ticket to contest the BMP elections. Besides, castes without representation in the council can also be given representation, sources say.

As the new council does not have members from the Kumbara, Negegara, Christian, Brahmin, Korma, Korachara, and several other caste groups, members of these communities are lobbying hard for nominations.

Senior Congress leaders are busy preparing a list of members from the Gowda, Lingayat, Muslim, Kuruba, and SC communities. The names are being recommended by the leaders from these communities, sources point out.

``The Congress MLAs, MLCs, and ministers from the City, who were not successful in getting their followers inducted in the council, are sending separate lists to the City District Congress Committee President and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Ramalinga Reddy. A senior Congress leader said that they had recommended the names of over 30 persons.

Meanwhile, the Government is also contemplating giving voting rights to the nominated members. As the KMC Act does not provide voting rights to nominated members, an Ordinance would be promulgated, sources say. The increase in the number of nominees has irked Opposition members. They are upset because the decision was taken a few days prior to the mayoral elections. The decision has also created doubts about the Congress's unity in the council during the elections. But with the smooth conduct of the polls, the Government delayed the nominations, sources say. ``The list is being finalised and the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, is likely to clear it by this weekend,'' sources add.

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