While a deal with the JD(S) to take charge of the BBMP council would be a shot in the arm for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the JD(S), like it has proved in the past, will not be an easy ally to handle and will demand its share of power.
Though it has only 14 councillors compared to the Congress’s 76, the party is expected to demand the Deputy Mayor’s post, according to sources.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “There are differences among the rank and file of Congress over aligning with our party. JD (S) doesn’t want to create a rift in the ruling party. The ball is now in the Congress’s court. If the Congress seeks our support, we don’t have any objection. But they have to give an undertaking to develop the city and rejuvenate the sinking BBMP.”
When asked if the party has set condition to extend support, the JD (S) leader said that “conditions are not important”. JD (S) leaders, who initiated the movement, have not imposed conditions for the alliance.
If an alliance is struck, the JD(S) would occupy power in the BBMP for the first time since 1996 when it had forged an alliance with the Congress.
Independents
Despite the two parties coming together, the alliance would still depend on the support of six out of the eight independent councillors, who are also expected to drive a hard bargain.
The alliance would also need the support of legislators and members of Parliament, who have a vote in the council, from both the JD(S) and Congress for a clear majority.
BJP’s stand
The BJP has no choice, but to sit in the opposition if the JD (S) joins hands with the Congress.
“In the present scenario, it is not possible to woo enough number of independent councillors to our fold if the Congress and JD (S) come together,” a senior BJP leader told The Hindu .
In fact, the BJP had stopped wooing independents and reaching out to the JD (S) last week itself.
VOTERS FOR MAYOR POLLS | CRITERIA | NO. OF VOTES | BJP | CONGRESS | JDS | OTHERS |
Councillors | Directly elected | 198 | 100 | 76 | 14 | 8 |
MLAs | Whose constituencies partly or wholly come under BBMP limits | 28 | 12 | 13 | 3 | - |
Lok Sabha MPs | Whose constituencies partly or wholly come under BBMP limits | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
Rajya Sabha MPS | Who are voters of Bengaluru(BBMP area) | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
MLCs | Who are voters of Bengaluru(BBMP area) | 21 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Total | 260 | 125 | 101 | 21 | 13 |
Votes needed to win post of Mayor - 131
(This article has been corrected for arithmetic error )
