Nataraj likely to be mayor

The three-time councillor from Sarakki emerged as the first choice among the party top brass at a meeting held on Thursday evening. For the BJP, Friday will be a day to reckon with. It will be for the first time that the party will hold the reins of power in the civic body.

Bangalore will have a mayor after a gap of three years. However, the BJP will make a formal announcement in the presence of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa after a breakfast meeting with the newly elected corporators of the party and the city legislators on Friday.

The CM could not attend Thursday’s meeting, as he was yet to reach Bangalore from his private trip to Malaysia.

“We held extensive consultation with legislators on Thursday. We will once again discuss with our councillors and announce our candidate on Friday,” State party President K S Eshwarappa said.

Though four-time councillor K S Sathyanarayana has seniority on his side, the party may back Nataraj, a Vokkaliga, as part of its strategy to negate the impression that the BJP is a bastion of the Lingayats. Benniganahalli corporator Dayanand, 27, is likely to be the party’s choice for the deputy mayor’s post.