The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, G. Parameshwara, called on JD(S) supremo and the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda at the latter’s residence on Wednesday to discuss power-sharing formula to be followed by the two parties in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council. The meeting was seen as a formal confirmation that the JD(S) and Congress sealed an alliance to elect the city’s new Mayor and Deputy Mayor on September 11.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will leave for New Delhi on Thursday evening to appraise the Congress high command about the developments post the BBMP elections. Mr. Siddaramaiah is expected to appraise the central leaders of the party about the truck with the JD(S) to win a majority in the BBMP council.
Sources confirmed that the Congress is expected to bag the Mayor’s post and leave the Deputy Mayor’s post for JD (S). Both the parties would share chairmanship of various standing committees in the council, they added.
However, election to the posts of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor would depend on the Karnataka High Court, which is hearing a plea filed by five BJP councillors-elect questioning the vote of non-councillor members in the mayoral polls.
The High Court will hear the petition again on September 8.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah convened a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues, Mr. Parameshwara and senior leader B.K. Hariprasad at his residence ‘Cauvery’, and discussed the alliance strategy. The meeting was attended by some of JD(S) leaders who have taken the initiative to bridge the gap between the two political parties.
Following the meeting, Dr. Parameshwara, accompanied by JD(S) Chamajarapet MLA, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, who played a key role in striking the deal, and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy called on Mr. Deve Gowda.
Speaking to presspersons after the meeting with Mr. Deve Gowda, Dr. Parameswhara said that the Congress has decided to seek support of the JD(S) in the BBMP council “in the interest of the development of Bengaluru city.”
Mr. Gowda reportedly told Dr. Parameshwara to hold talks with State JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy. “I did not speak anything. My decision is aimed at survival of JD(S)”, Mr. Deve Gowda told presspersons.
He added that the JD(S) councillors, who were staying in Kerala fearing attempts of poaching by the BJP, would return to the city soon.
