The elections to the post of Deputy Mayor and members of the 12 standing committees in the BBMP will be held on Wednesday.
According to sources, the candidature of Nagapura councillor B. Bhadre Gowda for the post of Deputy Mayor is ‘mostly confirmed’. The post, which is reserved for the general category, became vacant following the demise of R. Ramila Umashankar just days after she was elected as Deputy mayor.
The mayoral post went to Jayanagar councillor Gangambike Mallikarjun who is from the Lingayat community. The Deputy Mayor’s post went to the Vokkaliga community to which Ms. Umashankar belonged to. Mr. Gowda belongs to the same community.
Clash over Standing Committee chairman post
The bone of contention between alliance partners Congress and Janata Dal (S) is with regard to the Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance. The Janata Dal (S) has reportedly finalised the candidature of Vrushabhavathy Nagar councillor Hemalatha Gopalaiah, who is a former Deputy Mayor and wife of Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K. Gopalaiah, for the post of chairperson of the committee. However, sources said, the Congress now wants to take back the post and is keen on the candidature of Shanthinagar councillor P. Sowmya Shivakumar.
Sources claimed that Ms. Shivakumar was the probable mayoral candidate. When the Congress chose Ms. Mallikarjun for the post, the party leaders had reportedly promised Ms. Shivakumar the post of chairperson of the Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance.
As per the agreement between the alliance partners, the JD(S) has held the post of chairpersons of Taxation and Finance, Ward Level Works, Education and Horticulture committees, while the Congress has held the post in the Town Planning, Social Justice, Major Works, Markets and Appeals committees.
The independent candidates have been made chairperson of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Accounts and Health committees.
The two parties held meetings that went on till late Tuesday.
All preparations had been made for the polls on Wednesday. The election will be held by the Regional Commissioner.
