Bengaluru Mayoral polls highlights: Traffic, garbage on Gowtham Kumar's priority list

Bengaluru Mayoral polls was held today. The BJP had fielded party's loyal M Gowtham Kumar, who won by a simple majority and became the 53rd Mayor of Bengaluru. The poll, however, was filled twists and turns with rebel MLA Padmanabha Reddy withdrawing his nomination for the Mayor's post in the last minute. Stay tuned for live updates.

Hello readers, that's all for today. Here's a quick wrap on today's Mayoral election: Amid twists and turns, Gowtham Kumar has been elected as the new Mayor while Ram Mohan Raju has been appointed as the Deputy Mayor. Thank you for following our live updates. For more latest news visit www.deccanherald.com.

Deputy Mayor of Bengaluru isRam Mohan Raju.

Traffic, garbage first preference: Mayor Gowtham Kumar

Newly appointed Bengaluru City Mayor Gowtham Kumar on Tuesday said that he would give first and foremost importance to thetraffic and garbage issue.

Addressing the press conference soon after getting elected as Mayor, Gowtham Kumar said, "There are so many issues to be addressed in city limits. I would consider all the senior leaders while taking any step."

Read the full report here.

New Mayor Gawtham Kumar is being handed over the keys. (DH Photo)

Former Mayor Gangambike handing over charge to newly elected Mayor Gautham Kumar. (DH Photo)

BJP mayor candidate Gautham Kumar arrives at BBMP council hall

BJP’s Gowtham Kumar is Bengaluru's new Mayor

Putting an end to the confusion and curiosity over the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) mayoral polls, BJP’s M Gowtham Kumar has been elected as the 53rd Mayor of Bengaluru. Kumar is also the first North-Indian origin Mayor of the city.

Amidst twists and turn since Monday evening till the last minute of the voting process, Gowtham Kumar, who was unanimously chosen by the Karnataka BJP unit, won the contest by a simple majority. Gowtham, two-time corporator from Jogupalya ward in Shantinagar assembly constituency secured 129 votes in his favour and 110 votes against his candidature.

Read the full report here.

MLAs with the new BBMP Mayor Gowtham Kumar at BBMP Council.

BJPMPs, MLAs with the new BBMP Mayor Gowtham Kumar at BBMP Council.

Who is Gowtham Kumar?

A staunch BJP worker M Gowtham Kumar Jain is a second-time corporator from the Jogupalya ward in Shantinagar assembly constituency. Belonging to a minority Jain (Marwadi) community, which hailed from Siruguppa in Ballari district, Gowtham was born and brought up in Bengaluru and thus knows the pulse of the city. Even though Gowtham Kumar was seen in the team of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, he was seen rubbing shoulders with other camps of the Karnataka BJP as well.

Reddy, Ravindra withdraw nominations for Deputy Mayor's post

Gurumurthy Reddy and Mahalakshmi H Ravindra have withdraw nominations for the Deputy Mayor's post.

Counting of votes ends. Final tally as follows:

Congress candidate R S Sathyanarayana receives 112 votes in favour and 129 against, while BJP's Gowtham Kumar of BJP receives129 in his favour and 110 votes against.

BJP'sM Gautham Kumar gets 129 votes, while Congress' Satyanarayana receives 112 votes.

JUST IN | BJP's Gowtham Kumar is the 53rd Mayor of Bengaluru.

BJP leaders congratulate Gowtham Kumar even before results being announced.

Interestingly, five Independent corporators have voted against the Congress candidate.

Leaving out the absentees, the magic number is 124 as the council strength is now 249.

BJP: 124
INC: 100
JDS:18
Others: 7

Officials are counting the votes for BJP candidate Gowtham Kumar.

Key MLAs absent during Mayoral poll

Finance Minister and BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka Nirmala Sitharaman is absent for the polls. Congress MP from Bengaluru Rural DK Suresh, MLC Raghu Achar, MP Jairam Ramesh also not present. JDS MLA from Dasarahalli Manjunath is also absent.

Now, voting for the BJP candidate is underway.

Voting underway in the favour of Congress candidate.

Manjula Narayanaswamy, Devadas boycott polls

Two JD(S) corporators — Manjula Narayanaswamy and Devadas boycott the polls and stage walk out.

Required magic number is 129. But no party has an absolute majority. The current numbers are as follows:

BJP-125

INC-104

JDS-21

Others-07

JUST IN | Rebel MLA Padmanabha Reddy withdraws nomination

A dramatic twist inside the Council. Rebel candidate Padmanabha Reddy withdraws nomination at the last hour.

Voting to begin in a few minutes by members raising hand in support of candidates and subsequently signing the support or oppossevote on a registry.

Nominations of Congress Sathyanarayana, BJP's Gowtham and Padmanabha Reddy are valid,Regional Commissioner Harsha Gupta says.

Mayoral election process begins

The election process starts at the BBMP's Council Hall. Regional Commissioner Harsh Gupta is heading the meeting and announcingcontenders for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Colour politics in BBMP Council

On seeing Congress corporators walking into polling hall with tricolour shawl, BJP DeputyMayor candidate Ram Mohan Raj arranges for Saffron-Green robes for the BJP leaders during the Mayoral poll.

Disqualified MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar Munirathna prevented from entering the BBMP Council hall, where the elections are being held, as he was not issued an election pass.

Congress BJP MLAs seen greeting each others as a friendly gesture in council hall.

Congress and JD(s) corporators have been issued a whip by their respective parties, confirms BBMP corporator Keshava Murthy

Five nominations for the Deputy Mayor posthave been filed as per our instructions. The final name for Deputy Mayor will be revealed on floor.

Padmanabha Reddy is asked to withdraw his nomination, M Gautham Kumar is our choice for Mayor, says BJP senior leader R Ashok.

Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar also joins the BJP leaders to convince Reddy about the latter'swithdrawal from standing for the Mayoral post.

BJP leaders hold closed-door meeting at BBMP council with rebel MLA Padmanabha Reddy

BJP senior leaders including Revenue Minister R Ashoka holding closed-door meeting at the BBMP council with 'rebel' BJP candidate Padmanabha Reddy and convincinghim to withdraw from the race.

Corporators from the disqualified MLAs constituencies are holding a separate meeting at a private hotel on whom to support in the Mayor polls. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan too had held meeting with disqualified MLAs from Bengaluru — ST Somashekhar, Byrathi Basavaraj and Munirathna — on Monday and sought support of corporators from their constituencies

Confident that we will win the Mayor's post: R Ashoka

"I have had discussion with the state president yesterday night and also spoken to CM Yediyurappa. We will all abide by the party's decision in supporting candidate for the Mayor's post. I am confident that we will win the Mayor's post this time,"R Ashoka, Revenue Minister, says.

Regional election commissioner Harsha Gupta arrivedat theBBMP office.

BBMP Opposition leader and main aspirant for mayor position from BJP Padmanabh Reddy arrives the at BBMP office.

A breakfast meeting of BJP leaders from Bengaluru and BJP corporators at a private hotel convened by BJP top brasses finalises on Gowtham Kumar as BJP's Mayor candidate.

Outgoing mayor Gangambika Mallikarjun at BBMP Office

Congress corporators inside the ruling party leader Abdul Wajid's chamber.

According to BBMP officials, the total strength of the BBMP Council comprising corporators, MLAs and MLCs has shrunk from 262 to 257. While the majority mark to win the mayoral post all these years was 132, it has come down to 129 this year following a change in the position of parties.

The BJP — the single-largest party, has 125 members comprising 101 corporators, four Lok Sabha MPs, two Rajya Sabha MPs, 11 MLAs and seven MLCs. At the same time, the Congress-JD(S) coalition, which had a strength of 132 along with seven independents, has been reduced to 125, including 90 corporators, one Lok Sabha MP, seven Rajya Sabha MPs, 12 MLAs and 15 MLCs. With the independent corporators reportedly switching loyalties, the BJP’s calculation has only been strengthened further.

Chikkaballapur MP Bacche Gowda arrives at BBMP office. (DH Photo)

As of now, no nominations have been filed for the four standing committees that is scheduled to be elected today.

Currently, the BBMP's total strength is 257.

BJP-125

INC-104

JDS-21

Independents-07

Security beefed up in BBMP head office

Nomination process ends. Three contenders are in the race for the Mayoral post, four others are fighting for the Deputy Mayor post.

Candidates for the Mayor's post:
1. Padmanabha Reddy
2. M Gowtham Kumar
3. Katte Satyanaranayana

Candidates for the Deputy Mayor's post:
1. Gangamma Rajanna
2. Ram Mohan Raj
3. Gurumurthy Reddy
4. Mahalakshmi

Congress ruling party leader Abdul wajid drops a bomb. He claims that six corporators are in touch with Congress camp."The BJP is a divided house and their corporators are confused about the party choices. We have a chance of winning the game again and we are at it. Six BJP corporators are also in touch with us," Abdul Wajid, leader of the Ruling Congress party in BBMP Council said.

"We are short of only two votes and six BJP corporators have come in touch with us. We are hopeful of turning the tables now," he added.

Who is Gowtham Kumar?

A staunch BJP worker M Gowtham Kumar Jain is a second-time corporator from the Jogupalya ward in Shantinagar assembly constituency. Belonging to a minority Jain (Marwadi) community, which hailed from Siruguppa in Ballari district, Gowtham was born and brought up in Bengaluru and thus knows the pulse of the city. Even though Gowtham Kumar was seen in the team of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, he was seen rubbing shoulders with other camps of the Karnataka BJP as well.

Gangamma from JD(S) files nomination for Bengaluru Deputy Mayor's post

BJP's Padmanabha Reddy files nomination for Mayor's post

BJP's Gurumurthy Reddy files nomination for Deputy Mayor's post

Bengaluru Mayoral polls: BJP fields M Gowtham Kumar

Upsetting the applecart within BJP, in a closed-door mid-night meeting to choose the party’s mayoral candidate, M Gowtham Kumar, second-time BJP corporator from the Jogupalya ward (Ward 89) in Central Bengaluru emerged as the dark horse.

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Bengaluru Mayoral poll order jolts BJP

The BJP, which hoped to buy time to pick its mayoral candidate by delaying the polls, got a major jolt on Monday when regional commissioner Harsh Gupta declared that the elections to the post will be held as planned.

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