About 20 sitting corporators, including a few from the Congress and others backed by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and 10 former corporators of Belgaum City Corporation have decided to support the BJP candidate Anil Benake from Belgaum Uttar.
They have decided to support the BJP against MLA Fairoz Nuruddin Saith.
Addressing reporters here on Monday along with the corporators, Rajya Sabha member and senior BJP leader Prabhakar Kore said: "Cutting across lines of language and party, the sitting and former corporators have decided to support the BJP which is first of its kind in the history of Belagavi district politics."
Despite grants from the state and central governments, the corporators could not work properly due to MLA's intervention, Kore charged.
"They have decided to support the BJP to save Belagavi. Benake has assured that he will not intervene in the corporation's affairs if he is elected as an MLA. Corporators from Belgaum Dakshin are likely to follow a similar step", he said.
MES leader and former deputy mayor Nagesh Mandolkar said that about 9 of them who supported the BJP belonged to MES.
Mayor Basappa Chikkaladinni said that the corporators had decided to support the BJP to save and develop Belagavi.
"The MLA who ruled for 10 years has used grants meant for the corporation. All schemes are being finalised at MLA's house. Officers don't listen to us. We have no value," he said.
Answering a question, Kore came down heavily on Mathe Mahadevi.
"She is a self-styled religious leader. We haven't accepted her. Belagavi doesn't have even two houses where family members listen to her," he said.
Kore justified the stand of Benake visiting Anil Thakur's house to seek votes. BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, MP Suresh Angadi and others were present.
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