Reservation for mayor, deputy announced

Political activities have picked up in the city, after reservation matrix was announced for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. This time, the JD(S) is likely to join hands with the BJP to form council and keep the Congress away from the power.

Mysuru Mayor post is reserved for General category (Woman) and Deputy Mayor post for General category. Out of 65 members, 32 are women corporators. While the BJP has 13 women corporators, JD(S) has 11. Seven are Congress corporators and BSP has one corporator.

Even though the BJP, with 22 corporators, is the single largest party in the MCC, it was in the Opposition for the first two terms of the council, as the JD(S) and the Congress formed a coalition for the first two terms. But, now, the JD(S) is likely to align with the BJP to form council.

As there is no proper coordination between the JD(S) and Congress leaders, JD(S) would go with the BJP to keep Congress away from Mayorship, according to sources.

BJP MLA L Nagendra said, “The BJP would form the council as the chances of the party joining hands with the JD(S) are high. District In-charge Minister S T Somashekar and the party leaders will decide about it. BJP corporator must be elected as Mayor. I don’t have particular choice.”

JD(S) corporator Prema Shankaregowda said, “JD(S) is yet to decide about future course of action and is waiting for the decision of the party leaders. We will abide by the decision of the party leaders. We are even ready to sit in Opposition party, as per their directions.”

The term of previous Mayor Tasneem of JD(S) ended on January 19 and the election to elect 23rd Mayor is due. As per the agreement between the Congress and the JD(S) in 2018, the Mayor’s post was reserved for the Congress, in first and third term. In the first term, Congress corporator Pushpalatha Jagannath was the Mayor.

With 22 corporators, BJP is the single-largest party in the MCC. The Congress has 19 and JD(S) has 18 members. In addition, the council has five Independents and one BSP corporator. The strength of the house is 74, including MLAs, MLCs and MP.

The members of Karnataka Rajya Nayaka Hitarakshana Vedike staged a protest urging to reserve Mayor’s post to ST community. They pointed out that as no ST community people have been elected as Mayor, the reservation must be changed to ST.