Mayor meets Deve Gowda; seeks JD(S) support

With the mayoral elections round the corner, the Congress is making a continued bid to retain JD(S) support in the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) council.

While Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy met JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda recently, Mayor Manjunath Reddy, who will be completing his term shortly, met Gowda at the latter’s residence, with the BBMP floor leader Sathyanarayana and Rajajinagar ward corporator Padmavathi, on Tuesday.

The Congress, which is keen on retaining its power in the council, is learnt to have extended an olive branch to the JD(S). Reddy is learnt to have told Gowda that the JD(S) corporators would be given primacy with regard to release of funds for development works. The JD(S) will also get to have its say in the administrative affairs of the BBMP.

While the Congress might zero in on Padmavathi as the mayoral candidate, JD(S) first -time corporator from Radhakrishna Temple ward (Hebbal) Anand, might be chosen as the deputy mayor candidate. The poll is scheduled for September 19.

JD(S), however is playing the cards close to its chest. While, party state president H D Kumaraswamy is keen on forming an alliance with the BJP, Gowda is not averse to continuing the alliance with the Congress. He has said that the party would take a final call once Kumaraswamy comes back from his son’s film shooting.

Upset with Cong

Gowda, is however upset over Congress’s conduct, especially with regard to the ongoing demolition drive in the city. Gowda is miffed that the party leaders were not taken into confidence when it came to identifying properties that were razed. JD(S) wanted the government to have formed a core committee comprising leaders from both parties.