Mayoral polls today; close contest awaits

BJP adopts different game plan; JD(S), Congress not behind in the race to hot seat

 The elections scheduled to be held on Friday at 11.30 am, will surely hold a lot of suspense, with the three main political parties not letting out any clue on the possible outcome, especially on candidature.

Will it be Congress and JD(S) or BJP and JD(S) or BJP alone that will hold the reins, is another question that has kept even the corporators guessing.

Sources told Deccan Herald, not to let it go easily, BJP has adopted a different game plan that could leave others fuming. If it clicks, the saffron party will no doubt wrest both the seats with Asha Lakshminarayan (Ward no 11) and M Pradeep Kumar (Ward no 14) becoming Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.

Individual opinions

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) appointed observor to the elections- Narayanappa, former MLA and ex-chairman of Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB) collected individual opinions from the councillors to decide on who will decorate the Mayor’s chair.

The meeting to collect opinions was conducted at Hotel Kings Kourt on Thursday evening.  Not willing to budge, Rihana Banu (Ward no 40) has demanded the higher ups to consider her this time, while her colleague in the council and rival in the race Pushpalatha T B Chikkanna (Ward 24) is not too behind. She also has put her foot down firmly.

In JD(S) camp, which is obviously unhappy with the High Court’s decision on Thursday vacating the stay on the earlier order disqualifying seven JD(S) councillors who had crossed over to BJP.  According to the order, they can participate in the process, but cannot exercise their franchise.

At island

The party councillors met at Young Island resort near Paschimavahini on Mysore- Bangalore road. The incumbent Mayor Sandesh Swamy and prominent othe r leaders attended the meeting.

Congress is upbeat with six of its councillors getting reprieve from the High Court. The court had set aside the earlier order disqualifying them.

Regional Commissioner M V Jayanthi is the presiding officer for the elections.

Standing Committees

The mayoral elections will be followed by polls to four standing committees- Town Planning, Public Health and Education, Taxation, Finance and Appeal and Social Justice.
Police have made elaborate security arrangements sealing the entry at the side gates.
Only restricted entry will be allowed at the main gate opposite Karikalthotti Gate of Palace, said an officer of MCC on condition of anonymity.