BJP protests against Cong-JD(S) attempt to control Palike through 'back door'

The BJP’s corporators-elect, MLAs from Bengaluru and former corporators staged a demonstration outside the Town Hall here on Friday, accusing the Congress, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, of trying to grab power in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) through “back door tactics”.

The protest, led by former deputy chief minister R Ashoka, saw corporators raising slogans against the Congress government.

Carrying the BJP’s flags, the protestors accused the Congress of adopting a “cheap strategy” to win the mayoral polls.

Ashoka said, “They have jailed people’s democracy and are playing the number game just like Shakuni, the master of the dice game. The Congress is manipulating the mandate by including non-voters in the electoral college for the mayoral elections. Though the chief minister knows about the ‘resort’ politics, he is feigning ignorance.”

Ashoka referred to Siddaramaiah as ‘Daari Thappida Maga’ (the misguided son). He said the BJP would continue its agitation until September 11, when the mayoral polls are scheduled. On Saturday, the BJP’s 100 corporators, dressed in black, will march to Raj Bhavan and submit a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala.

Basavanagudi MLA, L A Ravi Subramanya, said that the BJP’s efforts had resulted in timely elections to the BBMP. “The Congress was delaying the elections as it feared defeat. Its fear has now turned into reality,” he remarked.

Malavika Avinash, a BJP spokesperson, said, “The Congress had earlier pulled out all the stops to stall the elections but failed miserably. Now, it’s trying to bring us down but victory will be ours. That we won 100 seats in the polls shows that people want us to run the administration.”

The party also launched a campaign on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp against the Congress’s “attempt to hijack the BBMP mandate”.

The party’s digital team has created images, highlighting the Congress “attempt to derail the mandate given by the citizens of Bengaluru”, a functionary said.