JOIN USCouncil poll calendar announced
Five seats will become vacant on June 14 following retirement of R V Venkatesh, Veeranna Mathikatti of the Congress, Mukhyamantri Chandru and Madhu Madegowda of the BJP and M Srinivas of the JD(S). Another two seats are vacant after Kailash of the BJP died in December 2009 and B R Gurudev of the JD(S) resigned.
The EC will issue notification for the election on May 24. Last date to file nomination papers is June 3. If necessary, elections will be held on June 10 between 9 am and 4 pm. Counting of votes will be taken up on the same day. Those candidates who get minimum of 28 votes win the election.
The BJP with 115 members in the Assembly can win four seats. The Congress with 74 MLAs is in a comfortable position to win two seats. The JD(S), which has 27 members in the Assembly can win one seat, if it manages to get at least one more vote.
Chairman’s post
Chairman Veeranna Mathikatti is also one among those retiring in June. His term as chairman will also come to an end on June 14. He can continue as member provided the the Congress field him again. The BJP, which is sure of winning four seats, will emerge as the single largest party in the Council. It will have its member as the chairman. The parties are yet to finalise candidates for the polls. The JD(S) and the Congress are expected to enter into an understanding to have a combined strategy for the Council elections and Rajya Sabha polls.