Spurning the Congress’ overtures to forge an alliance in the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council, the Janata Dal (Secular) has decided to continue its three-year-old tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party to share power in the civic body.
The suspense over the offer made by the Congress to the JD (S) was laid to rest during the mayoral polls here on Wednesday when the candidate nominated by the JD(S) for the post of Mayor — M.J. Ravi Kumar — was supported by the BJP, while the JD (S) backed Rathna Lakshman, nominated by the BJP for the post of Deputy Mayor.
Top Congress leaders, including Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa, who is also in charge of Mysuru district, and Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait had approached the JD (S) leadership at the behest of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking their support ahead of the polls.
During a meeting of Congress councillors convened on Tuesday, a day before the polls, Mr. Sait is reported to have discussed the party’s strategy of seeking the posts of Deputy Mayor and chairpersons of two standing committees, leaving the other three posts to the JD (S). The Congress was keen on the tie-up in order to become part of the ruling combine in Mysuru, which is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s hometown, especially given the two parties already have an alliance in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
However, the JD (S) did not wish to rock the boat with the BJP. “We did not want to betray our partners of the last three years. Besides, the JD (S) has an alliance with the BJP even in the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat,” a party leader said.
