Cong falls short of majority in Mysuru ZP again

In what could be seen as a major setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his home-turf, Mysuru, Congress has failed to gain simple majority in the elections to Zilla Panchayat, the results of which were announced on Tuesday.

It is also a repeat of hung verdict like the previous elections held in the year 2010. While it’s a satisfactory show in the seven Taluks of the district, out of which JD(S) is set to hold power in three TPs and Congress in two. It is hung verdict in two TPs.

The elections were held simultaneously to 49 ZP seats and 187 TP seats in Mysuru district in the second phase on February 20.

As per the results announced by the State Election Commission, in the 49-member ZP, Congress has won a highest of 22 seats, followed Janata Dal (Secular) which has won 18, BJP eight and a lone Independent candidate.

During the previous elections held in 2010, Congress had won 21 seats in the 46-member body, followed by JD(S) which had won 16, BJP eight and Independent one seat.

Though Congress has improved its tally by one, it has still fallen short of three seats to gain simple majority to hold the reins in the ZP.

Interestingly, though three new ZP constituencies were added, following delimitation, it could not benefit the Congress. In the newly formed constituencies, JD(S) won two — Hootagalli and Srirampura — while Congress had to be content with Harohalli (Mellahalli) seat.

Following the hung verdict, with none of the three parties gaining a majority, rumours are agog that it could be the return of the JD(S)-BJP alliance. When a similar situation arose after the previous elections, Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP combine ruled the ZP during the initial three years, till Congress made inroads, to wrest power in the last two years of the local body.

In TPs
Among the seven taluks, JD(S) has won a highest of 19 seats against the total number of 38 seats in Mysuru TP, followed by Congress which has won 13, BJP five and Independent one.

In Periyapatna, the JD(S) has won a highest of 13 seats against 22 seats, followed by Congress which won nine seats. In Hunsur, JD(S) has got a highest of 12 seats against 23 seats, Congress stan

However, Congress has an edge in Nanjangud and K R Nagar TPs.
In Nanjangud, the Congress has got a clear majority with 18 seats against the total of 34 seats, followed BJP which won 14 seats and Independents 2 seats.

In K R Nagar, Congress has won 14 seats and JD(S) eight of the total 22 seats. It’s a hung verdict in T Narsipur and H D Kote TPs, both have 24 seats, as none of the parties have gained a simple majority.

In H D Kote, JD(S) has won nine seats, while Congress has secured eight and BJP seven. In T Narsipur, Congress has won 10 seats, followed by JD(S) which won eight, BJP five and Independent one seat.