Caught napping in race for pact, BJP licks its wounds

The BJP has been reduced to being a mute spectator with the JD(S) leaving no stone unturned to stitch up an alliance with the Congress to enable it to take over the reins of the BBMP council.

Sources in the BJP said that it had no future as long as the JD(S) aligned with the Congress. All that the saffron party can do is sit in the opposition as it is short of five seats to reach the required number of 131 to come to power in the Council.

The sources said that a few individuals had bungled in handling the situation as they were caught napping when the independent corporators-elect approached them offering help to run the Palike.

These individuals were basking in the glory of winning the highest number of wards, but at the same time, they did not want to share the success with others in the party. This led to the party biting the dust. Such shocks are required at times for the party to be more careful in future, the sources said.

The BJP later approached the JD(S), offering the deputy mayor’s post and posts of four chairpersons of standing committees. However, the party has lost all hopes that the JD(S) will respond favourably. Besides, six of the seven independents have decided to support the Congress-JD(S) alliance.

At one stage, the BJP was thinking of approaching Congress corporators-elect close to Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, urging them to abstain from voting. However, it was decided against such a move. The party wants to gain the sympathy of the people by sitting in the opposition, despite getting the mandate of the voters in the polls, a BJP functionary said. It is also hoping that the Congress-JD(S) alliance will collapse on its own.