The stage is set for election of a new mayor in the last week of September. It’s an election that the Congress can win only with the support of the JD(S), say civic officials. However, the party is jittery as the JD (S) is insisting that the “Congress cannot take their support for granted’.
The top leaders of the JD (S) — H.D. Devegowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy — have expressed dissatisfaction with the alliance. Mr. Devegowda even alleged corruption and unresponsive governance in the city. The stand JD(S) takes on the alliance, months before the State Assembly polls in 2018, is being keenly observed.
Numbers stacked against Congress
In an electoral college of 266 voters, the party can muster a mere 109 votes while it needs 134 to win. Seven independent BBMP councillors have been a part of the Congress-JD(S) alliance in the council for the past two years.
The JD(S) has 25 votes, including an independent MLC. If the JD(S) supports the Congress, they alliance will have 141 votes against the BJP’s 125. However, if the JD(S) abstains, the Congress can come up with only 116 votes.
A senior Congress leader said that they had an informal discussion with the JD(S) and expressed confidence that the latter would eventually come around. “The party is known to play hard-ball during every mayoral poll, demanding the mayor's post. We are confident that we will have a Congress mayor again,” he said.
Mayor G .Padmavathi also said that two rounds of discussions had been held with JD(S) leaders.
Another leader pointed out that the JD(S) did not field candidates during the recently held Assembly by-polls in Gundlupet and Nanjangud, which many observers felt helped the Congress sail through.
However, a senior JD(S) leader told The Hindu that the decision on continuation or withdrawal from the alliance is yet to be taken. The JD(S) is likely to take the election down to the wire.
Votes of 4 MLCs likely to be contested
The list of 266 voters that BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad recently sent to the State Election Commission includes names of four MLCs — two from Congress and two from JD(S) — who have been accused of falsifying their residential addresses. A report on this is pending for action before the council chairman.
The BJP, which is the main opposition in the council, has decided to contest these four votes in the mayoral poll.
Following a complaint by the BJP to legislative council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy, the civic chief recently submitted a report about eight MLCs enrolling themselves as voters in Bengaluru to participate in the mayoral poll, but claimed travel and dearness allowance from the legislative council by providing addresses of their native towns in other districts.
Of the eight, Raghu Achar and S. Ravi from the Congress and C.R. Manohar and Appaji Gowda from the JD(S) find a place in this year's voter list as well.
“The council chairman may take action against the eight MLCs, which would hopefully disqualify them. If not, we will challenge the votes of these four MLCs in court,” said Padmanabha Reddy, leader of opposition in the BBMP Council.
Contenders for mayor
Senior councillors Sampath Raj and L. Govindaraju are leading the race to become the next mayor of the city. This time, the post is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (General) and deputy mayor reserved for Woman (General).
Of the 76 Congress councillors, those who fit the bill are L. Govindaraju, a third-time councillor from Subhash Nagar (ward no. 95), Sampath Raj, a second-time councillor from D.J. Halli (ward no. 47), M. Anjinappa, first-time councillor from Begur (ward no 192) and P. Anand, first-time councillor from H.B.R. Layout (Ward no. 24).
Multiple Congress councillors that The Hindu spoke to said that Anjinappa and Anand do not stand a chance given their lack of experience.
Lobbying for the top post has already begun.
While Sampath Raj is said to be backed by Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, L Govindaraju enjoys the backing of KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, sources said adding that the final call will be taken by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G. Parameshwara.
The deputy mayor's post is set to be taken by the JD(S). But, sources said, lobbying is yet to begin as the party is yet to take a call on the alliance.
How the numbers stack up
Eligible voters: 266
Winning number: 134
BJP
101 BBMP councillors
12 MLAs
6 MLCs
3 Lok Sabha member
2 Rajya Sabha members
Total: 124
Congress
76 BBMP councillors
13 MLAs
12 MLCs
2 Lok Sabha members
6 Rajya Sabha members
Total: 109
JD (S)
14 BBMP councillors
3 MLAs
6 MLCs
1 Rajya Sabha member
Total: 24
Independents
7 BBMP Councillors (support Congress– JD(S) alliance)
1 MLC: D.U. Mallikarjun (support Congress– JD(S) alliance)
1 Rajya Sabha member: Rajeev Chandrashekhar (supports BJP)
