The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a humiliating setback in the urban local body (ULB) elections in Shivamogga district, the home turf of its State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa.
The votes polled for the elections to five ULBs in Shivamogga and two in Bengaluru Rural were counted on Monday. Of the 140 wards of the seven ULBs, the coalition partners — Congress and Janata Dal (S) — have secured a majority of seats, with the Congress bagging 53 seats and the JD(S) winning 28. The BJP has secured 40 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one seat, while Independents made it in 18 seats.
The saffron party has suffered a drubbing at the hands of the Congress-JD(S) combine in both the ULBs that fall under the purview of Shikaripur Assembly constituency, which is represented by Mr. Yeddyurappa. Of the 23 wards in Shikaripur Town Municipal Council (TMC), the Congress has won 12 wards while the BJP has managed to secure eight. The remaining three wards will be represented by Independents.
Of the 17 wards in Shiralakoppa Town Panchayat, the BJP has managed to win just two. The Congress has emerged the single largest party by winning seven wards while the JD(S) has taken three. Independents registered victory in five wards.
In Hosanagar Town Panchayat, the JD(S)-Congress coalition has won seven wards while the BJP has won four. In Sorab Town Panchayat, the BJP — with six of the 12 wards — is trying to seek the support of an Independent candidate to come to power. The Congress has won four wards while the JD(S) holds one.
Sagar City Municipal Council offers the only solace for the BJP, with the party winning 16 of the 31 wards. Congress candidates have won from nine wards while Independents will represent the remaining five.
While polling for the four of the five ULBs was held on May 29, Sorab Town Panchayat went to the polls on June 1. In the recent general elections, B.Y. Raghavendra of the BJP had registered victory by a margin of more than 2.23 lakh votes in Shivamogga over Madhu Bangarappa of the JD(S).
In Bengaluru Rural
Of the 23 seats each in Devanahalli and Nelamangala ULBs in Bengaluru Rural, the JD(S) has won the highest number of seats (20).
The Congress has taken 10 and seven seats in Devanahalli and Nelamangala, respectively, while the JD(S) has bagged seven and 13 seats, in that order. The BJP sits in third place with four seats (two in each constituency).
In Bengaluru Rural, the BSP has made its presence felt by winning a seat in Devanahalli. Four Independents, including three in Devanahalli, also won.
