The race for capturing power in Kalaburagi City Corporation took a new turn on Wednesday with the Janata Dal (Secular), which has emerged “kingmaker” despite winning only four seats, demanding the Mayor’s post in the civic body.
They have made this the pre-condition to support the BJP or the Congress, since both need their help to capture power in the civic body. The JD(S), in fact, did worse than it did in the last council, by winning four seats against seven last time around.
All four members, along with the party’s local leader Nasir Hussein, met leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday and discussed the next course of action. “We want the Mayor’s post and we are persistent with our demand. We will go with anyone who supports us. Our leader has asked elected members of the party to be united and persistent,” Mr. Hussein told The Hindu over phone. Kedaralingaiah Hiremath, district president of JD(S), expressed a similar opinion.
“We are not in a hurry. The date for election to Mayor and Deputy Mayor has not been declared. We will wait and see who comes forward to support us. The party leadership has made it clear that the decision to go with the BJP or the Congress in Kalaburagi civic body is left to local leaders,” Mr. Hiremath said.
The elections for all 55 wards of Kalaburagi City Corporation were held on Friday and results declared on Monday. It was a hung council with no party winning enough seats to get a clear majority.
The Congress emerged the single-largest party with 27 seats followed by BJP (23). The JD(S) emerged “kingmaker” with four seats.
With one MLA and one Rajya Sabha member, the Congress would have 29 members on the floor. The BJP will match the Congress tally with three MLCs, two MLAs, and a Lok Sabha member. Even if it gets support from an Independent candidate who, after being denied the party’s ticket, contested and won, it cannot touch the magic figure of 32.
The JD(S) has, thus, emerged, as a key player as the support of its four members is required for assuming power in the civic body.
The Kalaburagi Mayor post is reserved for a woman from a general category and the JD(S) has member Vijayalakshmi Ramesh C. from ward 16.
