Mayoral election: Congress, BJP trying to woo JD(S)

JD(S) corporators go into huddle ahead of election tomorrow

The JD(S) corporators have left for Bengaluru, according to party sources, as the resort politics has picked up in connection with the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, scheduled for December 7 (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, both the BJP and the Congress are playing their cards to share power with the JD(S) in the Mysuru City Corporation. While the BJP is hopeful of continuation of the almost two decade-old coalition with the JD(S) in the district, the Congress is trying to strike a deal on the lines of the understanding in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.

In the 65-member MCC, there are 64 members, following the conviction of JD(S) member Madesh in a murder case. The Congress has the highest of 20 seats, followed by JD(S) 19, BJP 13, SDPI two, KJP one, BSR Congress one and eight Independents.

However, the lone KJP member B L Bhyrappa, who is presently Mayor, and newly-elected Independent Corporator Ashwini Ananthu have joined the JD(S), taking the strength to 21. The BSR Congress member has joined the SDPI and all the three members support the Congress. So, the Congress has 23 votes to its credit.

Besides, there are three MLAs (M K Somasekhar, Vasu and Tanveer Sait) and an MLC (R Dharmasena) from the Congress. Hence the Congress can get 27 votes in all. The JD(S) has an MLA (G T Devegowda) and three MLCs (Sandesh Nagaraj, K T Srikantegowda and Marithibbegowda) taking the JD(S) tally to 25. The BJP has an MP (Prathap Simha), so it is assured of 14 votes.

If the JD(S)-BJP combine continues it can get 39 votes, but if the alliance changes in favour of the Congress it can garner 52 votes. The BJP-JD(S) alliance in the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) went off without a hiccup in the last term. Bhyrappa was nominated by the JD(S) as mayor, while Vanitha Prasanna of the BJP was elected deputy mayor. The two parties are partners in the Mysuru zilla and taluk panchayats, too. The Congress, which is in Opposition in most of the local bodies, is trying hard to woo the JD(S) as well as Independents to wrest control of the MCC to save face in the CM’s district.

Cong for keeping BJP away
The Congress has offered the JD(S) to settle for whatever posts were given for the BJP during the last term to keep the BJP away from power. So, the Congress may get the post of deputy mayor and chairpersons’ posts of two standing committees. If the JD(S) agrees to offer deputy mayor’s post to the Congress, there are many contestants like A Rajani, Kamala Udaykumar, M S Rajalakshmi, Bhagyavathi, Umamani and Rathnamma.

With the mayor’s post reserved for the general category, senior corporators belonging to dominant communities are vying for it. Four-time corporator K T Chaluvegowda and former deputy mayor M J Ravikumar of the JD(S) are in the forefront.

For the deputy mayor’s post, reserved for women (general), Seema Prasad, Pushpavathi and Rathna are holding talks with the BJP leaders.