The elections to the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Bengaluru is less than a fortnight away and hectic lobbying has begun. Sources predict it is unlikely that the Congress–Janata Dal (Secular) combine in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will be able to retain power for the fifth year as the BJP is said to be trying to gain control over the BBMP council. This has resulted in several councillors from the Opposition BJP vying for the top posts.
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The posts of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor have both been reserved for the general category this year. Senior councillors of the ruling combine have resigned to the fact that the city’s next Mayor and Deputy Mayor could be from the BJP, said highly placed sources, and added that supporters of three BJP Ministers — C.N. Ashwath Narayan, R. Ashok, and V. Somanna — are lobbying for the top posts.
Among them are Opposition Leader Padmanabha Reddy, Jakkuru councillor Muneendra Kumar K.A., Kumaraswamy Layout councillor L. Srinivas, Katriguppe councillor M. Venkatesh (Sangati), Jogupalya councillor M. Gautam Kumar, Kadu Malleswara councillor Manjunath Raju J., Nagarbhavi councillor Mohan Kumar, and Govindarajanagar councillor K. Umesh Shetty.
Sources said Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Narayan, who has the support of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, is seeking the election of Mr. Raju, whose ward comes under his constituency, for the Mayor’s post, while MLAs Satish Reddy and S.R. Vishwanath are supporting Mr. Padmanabha Reddy’s candidature. While Mr. Srinivas and Mr. Venkatesh have Mr. Ashok’s support, Mr. Somanna is reportedly in favour of Mr. Shetty and Mr. Mohan Kumar. However, sources also said that RSS and BJP’s national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh are in favour of Mr. Muneendra Kumar, Mr. Gautham Kumar, and Mr. Mohan Kumar.
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Sources said the party leadership was worried about the simmering tension within the BJP, which is the fallout of appointment of Mr. Narayan as the Deputy Chief Minister. To placate Mr. Ashok, the party may consider making one of his candidates the next Mayor. “The term of the current council will end next year and the BBMP council elections will be held in 2020. The party is keen to wrest control of the BBMP council from the Congress–JD(S) combine. Towards this end, choosing the right candidate for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor is crucial,” BJP sources told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, for the Deputy Mayor’s post, Ganganagar councillor Pramila Anand, Banaswadi councillor A. Kodanda Reddy, and Konankunte councillor Shashirekha Jayaram are in the race.
Sources said the Congress would also field its councillors for the top post. There are two contenders for Mayor’s post — Jayamahal councillor M.K. Gunasekhar and Shankar Math councillor M. Shivaraju.
Sources added that K. Gopalaiah, MLA for Mahalakshmi Layout who has been disqualified, is also lobbying on behalf of his wife, S.P. Hemalatha, Vrushabhavathy councillor and chairperson of the Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance.