MCC: Mayor, deputy mayor election today

With 22 corporators in the 65-member Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), the BJP emerged as the single largest party for the first time in the 2018 election. However, the party, which is exploring a renewed alliance with the JD(S), is hoping to have its first Mayor in the election scheduled for 12 noon on Wednesday.

The election to the Mayor’s post, reserved for General category (woman) and deputy mayor, open for General category, has put all three major parties on tenterhooks. The JD(S), with a strength of 18 is the most sought after party. Both the BJP and the Congress are trying to win the support of the JD(S).

B V Manjunath, BJP corporator, said that in the earlier council, 2013-18, the JD(S)-BJP coalition, with a strength of 22-13, was a success.

“Then, the JD(S) got the mayor’s post during all five terms and deputy mayor’s post once. The BJP got the deputy mayor’s post for four terms. In the new council, elected in 2018, the Congress-JD(S) coalition was formed in line with the similar coalition to form the state government. Thus, so far, both the Congress and the JD(S) had the mayor and deputy mayor’s term, once each,” he said.

This term of the MCC is a role-reversal, with the BJP winning in 22 wards, closely followed by the Congress-19 and JD(S)-18.

There are also five Independents and one BSP corporator. The others who have a vote, to elect the mayor and deputy mayor, are: MP Pratap Simha of BJP, MLAs S A Ramadass and L Nagendra of BJP, Tanveer Sait of Congress and G T Devegowda of JD(S) and MLCs of JD(S) Sandesh Nagaraj, K T Srikantegowda and Marithibbegowda. The total votes are thus 73, taking the magic number to 37.

If there is no cross voting, the JD(S)-BJP coalition can get 22 plus 25, respectively. However, there are rumours that six minority community corporators of JD(S) would not vote in favour of the coalition.

While, MLA Sa Ra Mahesh is the face of JD(S) in Mysuru city, his friction with G T Devegowda was expected to cast a shadow on the coalition. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah had distanced himself from the election. KPCC president D K Shivakumar tried his hand for a brief time. The lone Congress MLA of the city Tanveer Sait tried his best to strike a deal with Sa Ra Mahesh. Grapevine has it that Devegowda is in close contact with Siddaramaiah. Thus, behind the scenes negotiations were resorted.

According to BJP sources, senior corporator Sunanda Palanethra may be the mayor candidate, while either S B M Manju or Prema Shankaregowda may be deputy mayor candidate.

Meanwhile, corporator Samiullah had questioned the continued reservation for women, before the High Court. It has to be noted that it was SC woman in 2018, general woman in 2019 and Backward Community Woman in 2020. Now, it is again general woman.