While aspirants for the Mayor’s post are lobbying for nomination from their respective parties, there is suspense over the outcome of mayoral elections in Mysuru, scheduled to be held on September 6.
After the city saw four successive women Mayors, the State government has allotted the Mayor’s post to a candidate from the general category and reserved the post of Deputy Mayor to a woman from Backward Class A category.
But, no party commands a majority in the 65-member Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council and efforts to forge alliances have remained elusive so far.
While the Congress has a total of 24 votes --- 20 members in the council, one MLA and three MLCs, the JD (S) has a total of 20 votes --- 17 members of council, one MLA and two MLCs. The BJP has 26 votes from 22 members of council, one MP, two MLAs and an MLC. There are five Independents and one BSP member also in the MCC council, taking the total number of votes to 76 for the mayoral polls.
After the collapse of Congress-JD (S) alliance paved the way for election of the first BJP Mayor last year, the JD (S) claimed that the saffron party could win the Mayor’s post only because it remained neutral last year. Hence, the JD (S), which has ruled out any possibility of patching up with the Congress, has asked the BJP to support its bid for the Mayor’s post this year. In return, the JD (S) will support the saffron party’s Deputy Mayor candidate.
But the BJP, which won the Mayor’s post last year in a three-horse race with nominees from all three parties in the race, is planning to field its candidates again this year for both the posts.
“As of now, we are planning to field candidates for Mayor as well as Deputy Mayor,” said BJP spokesman M.A. Mohan.
Countering the JD (S) claim, the BJP said that its candidate won the mayoral polls last year because the Congress rejected an alliance with the JD (S).
Meanwhile, the Congress, whose strength in the MCC council has been bolstered by the election of one member, Rajini, and three MLCs --- Thimmaiah, Dinesh Gooli Gowda, and Madhu Made Gowda, is also planning to field candidates for Mayor as well as Deputy Mayor post.
The JD (S), on the other hand, said the party would reconcile itself to sit in the Opposition if BJP did not support its bid for the Mayor’s post. The JD (S) leaders have also cautioned the BJP that the Independent members, who are supporting the party, would be free to back the Congress mayoral candidate if the saffron party did not support its candidate.
