Major setback for BJP in mayoral polls

The results of mayoral elections have come as a major setback for the BJP with the party leaders failing to elect their candidate.

The BJP leaders, including District In-charge Minister S T Somashekar, MLA L Nagendra and MP Pratap Simha, were confident of forming the council with the support of the JD(S). The party leaders had made all possible efforts to elect BJP corporator as Mayor. But, the saffron party missed the opportunity as the JD(S) and the Congress decided to continue their pact.

Even though BJP, with 22 corporators in the 65-member Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), is the single largest party in the MCC, it was in the Opposition of the council since 2018, as the JD(S) and the Congress formed a coalition.

JD(S) candidate Rukmini Madegowda was elected as Mayor and Congress candidate Anwar Baig elected as deputy mayor.

The efforts of District In-charge Minister S T Somashekar, BJP MLAs and MP to convince JD(S) failed. The minister said that both, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had claimed that they will not support each other, but, at the last moment they decided to join hands. “However, I will give all support for the development works,” the minister said.

Even Kumaraswamy denied alliance with the Congress claiming that Siddaramaiah had questioned about the existence of the JD(S). “We will show our strength to Siddaramaiah. We don’t support both the parties. Our vision is on 2023 election,” Kumaraswamy said.

As Congress corporators were directed to vote for JD(S) candidate Rukmini Madegowda at the last moment, Congress candidate Shantakumari secured no votes. It has to be noted that JD(S) had earlier decided not to support either BJP or Congress, but, it decided to align with Congress at the last moment.

According to sources, though Kumaraswamy, District In-charge Minister S T Somashekar urged JD(S) corporators to extend support to BJP, the corporators were reluctant to support the BJP and decided to contest independently. However, Congress MLA Tanveer Sait managed to convince JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy promising Mayor post to JD(S).