JOIN USRace for Mayor post hots up
The contest for the post of the next Mayor has intensified. The term of the present Mayor, Sharadamma, comes to an end on April 23 and the post is reserved for the Backward Classes ‘2A’ category for the next term.
Sources in BBMP said Katriguppe corporator D Venkatesh Murthy, who has the backing of BJP State president K S Eshwarappa or Banashankari corporator A H Basavaraju, a key aide of City incharge minister R Ashoka, had emerged as the top contenders.
The other corporators in the race include Somashekar from Shakambarinagar, B V Ganesh from Chamarajpet, H S Padmaraj from Basaveshwarnagar, Revanna from Kalkere, N Shantakumari from Moodalapalya and A L Shivakumar from Chickpet.
Basavaraju was expected to become the first Mayor of BBMP. But his loss in the elections had ruled out his chances. However, he was elected in the bypoll following the murder of corporator Diwan Ali. He is a close aide of Ashoka, who plays a key role in the election of Mayor, sources said. Venkatesh Murthy was denied the Deputy Mayor’s post in the past and is now in the race for the Mayor’s post.
The State government is yet to zero in on the candidate to be elected the new Mayor. A group of City MLAs, including ministers R Ashoka and S Suresh Kumar, who met Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda recently, failed to reach a consensus on the issue.
Sources in the government told Deccan Herald that Gowda favoured a candidate who had enough knowledge about the City and had some vision for its development.