Will BJP continue 'Operation Kamala' in DK ZP?

Many probabilities for ZP polls scheduled to be held on May 26

Though JD(S) has only five members out of the 35 members in Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat (both Congress and BJP have 15 members each), the JD(S) members play a crucial role in electing the next ZP president and deputy.

The five JD(S) VIPs are Sucharitha Shetty K P (present ZP chief), Rajashree S Hegde, Dharanendra Kumar, Bubu Mogera Yernodi and Abdul Azeez Malar.

With BJP member Karunakar Perodi’s demise, the BJP strength has reduced to 14.

Going by the last election scenario, Abdul Azeez Malar secured only 17 votes as Santhosh Kumar Bhandary of the Congress supported the JD(S)/ BJP candidate (Sucharitha Shetty). Sources say that Bhandary (Cong) supported the JD(S) candidate over indifference with Malar.

Presuming that this time Bhandary would vote for Congress (or Cong supported) candidate, the Congress would have the support of 15 + 3 JD(S) members while BJP will have the support of 14 + 2 (JDS - Sucharitha Shetty and Rajashree Hegde) members, thereby giving an easy chance for the Congress.

But things are not so easy as they appear. With the then JD(S) leader Vasanth Bangera and JD(S) district chief Balraj Rai joining the Congress, there is no leader for JD(S) in the district.

One of the JD(S) members said that they would await orders from JD(S) leaders in Bangalore.

Operation Kamala

The only way for the BJP to come to power in DK ZP is to continue ‘Operation Kamala’ in the district! But there is no guarantee that a BJP or Congress member would get a chance to adorn the seat of ZP chief/deputy as all five JD(S) members are aspirants for one of the two posts.

Apart from the JD(S) members, the Congress aspirants include A C Bhandary, Chandrashekar Kamath, Sundar Gowda, Krishna Ameen and Shaul Hameed while the BJP aspirants are Thungappa Bangera, Krishna Shetty Kadaba and Venkat Dambekodi.

While the ZP chief’s post is reserved for general category, the deputy chief’s post is reserved for backward community ‘A’ category.

Incidentally, JD(S) Members Dharanendra Kumar and Abdul Azeez Malar are eligible to contest the deputy chief’s post too. It may not be surprising if both the posts are wrested by JD(S) members!

The present office-bearers term ends on May 27 while the term of the next DK ZP office-bearers as well as DK members would come to end in January 2011.

Polls on May 26

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Shivshankar said that he received oral information from the Regional Commissioner’s office that the elections are scheduled to be held on May 26.

However, the written order is yet to reach the office.

To another query on the re-election to fill the vacant post lying after BJP member Karunakar Perodi’s death, Shivshankar said that the same has been brought to the notice of the Election Commission and it is upto the Election Commission to conduct the election within 6 months.

 “There is no compulsion that the election should be held before the ZP chief’s election,” he clarified.