Political crisis could trip Congress-JD(S) in BBMP

Woes are mounting for the JD(S) and Congress. As leaders race to save the coalition government, both parties will have to deal with the power game in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which has been under the control of the Congress-JD(S) coalition for the last four years.

The resignation of three Congress MLAs from Bengaluru is being seen as a threat to the BBMP council held by the Congress-JD(S). Political circles in Bengaluru were abuzz with talk that Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, a close follower of MLA Ramalinga Reddy, would resign, thus upsetting the apple-cart.

However, Gangambike told DH that the sudden turn of events would have no effect on city politics as her tenure ends in two months.

“My tenure as Bengaluru Mayor will end in September and I will continue until then. The ruling coalition in BBMP will not be affected due to the state political crisis. But Ramalinga Reddy’s resignation will continue to haunt the Bangalore Congress as he was crucial in helping the party assume power in BBMP,” she said.

Sources close to the Gangambike also revealed that Reddy had personally told her not to resign as she has only two months left as mayor.

As the coalition partners grapple with the current crisis, the BJP is waiting to pounce.

The BJP, which unsuccessfully tried to grab the mayor’s post for four consecutive times, is hoping that independents would support the saffron party this time considering the injustice meted out to Ramalinga Reddy.

It was Reddy who had convinced the independents to side with the Congress, thus thwarting the BJP which had more numbers than the Congress.

Leader of opposition in BJP Padmanabha Reddy said it was “too early” to make any statements as the resignation of MLAs was yet to be accepted.

“We will think about the mayoral post when the present mayor completes her term,” he said.

However, BJP corporator Umesh Shetty expressed that the present political crisis will come in handy in October when the party would stake a claim for the mayoral post.