Kalaburagi: JD(S) councillors want Mayor’s post

Four JD(S) councillors of the Kalaburagi City Corporation, who are being chased by the Congress and BJP for an alliance, are said to have decided that they will join hands with the party that offers them the Mayor’s post.

The recent election to the 55-member Kalaburagi civic body threw up a fractured mandate. The Congress won 27, the BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and one Independent. The halfway mark is 28, elevating the JD(S) councillors to the status of ‘kingmakers’.

The four councillors arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday and met JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

“The decision has to be made now by the Congress and the BJP on who will give us the Mayor’s chair,” Nasir Hussain Ustad, the JD(S) minority wing president from Kalaburagi told reporters. Ustad said this was not unprecedented. “Earlier, the Congress and JD(S) came together and gave the Mayor’s chair to the KCP, which had just one councillor,” he said.

According to Ustad, the situation remains fluid. “For any alliance to happen, it should be for the full 5-year term and the JD(S) should play an active role in development,” he said. “It has to be a JD(S) mayor in the first term at least. Should it be a JD(S) mayor for three terms or not is still undecided,” he added.

Ustad also took a dig at the Congress. “The Congress had the opportunity for many years, but development did not take place. Our aim is that the JD(S) should be a part of the development agenda in Kalaburagi,” he said.

After the poll results came out earlier this week, both Congress and BJP have been trying to stick a pact with the JD(S) to wrest control of the Kalaburagi City Corporation. Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge reached out to Gowda, whereas Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held talks with Kumaraswamy.

It is also reported that Gowda and Kumaraswamy may not be on the same page. While Gowda is inclined towards allying with the Congress, Kumaraswamy seems to be swaying towards the BJP.

Check out latest DH videos here: