Campaigning by cricketer Azaruddin, AICC general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad and cine actor Raj Babbar failed to work out in favour of the Congress.
In the last elections (2001), when the Congress was in power in the State, it held the reins of power in BBMP with 57 seats won in the 100 wards’ Palike. This time, in the Palike of 198 wards, the party has won only in 64 wards, a definite decline in party’s strength compared to its performance in 2001 elections.

The reasons for the fall are many, including not so aggressive campaign by the top leaders. While the BJP leaders were very focussed, the Congress leaders mainly confined themselves to the Congress Bhavan to address press conferences.
Former minister V Somanna’s defection to the BJP proved costly for the Congress. Somanna commands influence in Vijayanagar and Govindarajanagar Assembly Constituency. Despite having its MLAs in both the Constituencies, the Congress could get only two seats in the total 17 wards.

Father-son duo M Kris-hnappa  (Vijayanagar)  and Priya Krishna (Govinda-rajanagar) failed miserably.  Of the nine wards in Govindarajanagar, eight went in favour of the BJP and one to the JD(S). Priya Krishna had defeated the then BJP minister V Somanna in the by-election (2009) to the constituency. But the MLA failed to secure victory even in one ward this time.

The Congress MLAs who performed better than others in the party are Ramalinga Reddy (BTM Layout), Dinesh Gundurao (Gandhinagar) and N A Haris.
The Congress has won five wards each in BTM layout and Gandhinagar and four in Shantinagar. The poor performance of the party is recorded in Bommanahalli, where all eight wards went in favour of the BJP. Youth Congress president Krishna Byregowda has not been able secure victory in more than one ward in Byatarayanapura Assembly Constituency.

Prominent losers in the Congress are former mayor P R Ramesh, N L Ravishankar, brother of Congress MLA N L Narendra Babu, former minister A Krishnappa’s brother A Gopal. The Congress has been completely washed out in Bommanahalli Assembly, where all eight seats are won by the BJP.

KPCC president R V Deshpande accepts the defeat. “The major factor in favour of the BJP was that it was in power in the State. Even in the past the party which was in power, had won. Moreover, they misused official machinery”, he said. Asked who would take the blame for the defeat, Deshpande said the party went for the polls with collective leadership.

“The party’s performance is not on expected level. But not poor. We will play the role of a constructive opposition in the Palike”, he said.
DH News Service