Kalaburagi: JD(S) keeps BJP, Congress on edge

The deadlock on the formation of an alliance to take control of the Kalaburagi City Corporation saw no resolution Saturday with the JD(S) keeping the Congress and BJP guessing.

The recent election to the Kalaburagi civic body threw up a fractured mandate. In the 55-member corporation where the halfway mark is 28, the Congress emerged single-largest with 27 followed by the BJP with 23, JD(S) four and one Independent.

The JD(S) has demanded the mayor’s post for three terms, a bitter pill for both Congress and BJP.

On Saturday, a delegation of Congress councillors along with former minister Priyank Kharge met KPCC president D K Shivakumar and held talks.

“Our national leader Mallikarjun Kharge has spoken with another national leader H D Deve Gowda of the JD(S) on the way forward in Kalaburagi,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Asked if he would reach out to JD(S) leaders, Shivakumar said: “Whatever needs to be done in the good interests of the Congress, I will do. All that I have in front of me is for both parties to run the administration together.”

Also read: Kalaburagi Congress councillors meet D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru

According to Priyank, the Chittapur MLA, discussions were still on. “The JD(S) wants the Mayor’s post. It’ll be difficult for us since we have more numbers. So, we will negotiate,” he said. “If the JD(S) is truly for Kalaburagi's development, then they will join hands with us.”

Congress sources indicated that the JD(S) is inclined to go with the grand old party.

"But, they're playing hardball and are waiting to see if they can get the mayor's chair," a source said.

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister R Ashoka met JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, reportedly on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s directive.

"I told [Ashoka] that I would get back to him after discussing the developments with the party's MLAs at a legislature party meeting scheduled on Monday," Kumaraswamy said in a tweet.

Ashoka also discussed a BJP-JD(S) alliance in the Doddaballapur City Municipal Council.

Earlier this week, a JD(S) delegation met Bommai, who expressed confidence that the regional party would ally with the BJP in Kalaburagi. Bommai also asserted that Kalaburagi would get a BJP mayor.

Priyank accused the BJP of trying to lure Congress members. “They are trying, by hook or by crook, to hoist their flag in Kalaburagi by offering money and positions,” he said.

Apparently, the government has not issued a notification on the election of the new members due to the deadlock on the alliance.

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