The principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to field its candidates in the mayoral elections of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) scheduled for Wednesday September 28.
“100 per cent we will field our candidates in Mayoral elections,” said former deputy Chief Minister and MLA R. Ashok. Addressing presspersons on Sunday, he said the party’s legislators and councillors would meet on Tuesday to decide the candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor.
He alleged that the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) had struck an “unholy alliance” last year to capture power in the civic body but had so far done nothing for the development of infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Congress-JD (S) have almost joined hands for the elections. The Congress is to field a candidate for the post of mayor and the JD (S) for the post of deputy mayor. Home Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara and KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao are expected to discuss the proposed alliance with JD (S) leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Of the 14 JD (S) councillors, eight are from wards in Assembly constituencies represented by suspended MLAs B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet), Akhanda Srinivasmurthy (Pulakeshinagar) and K. Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout). Sources said all three have promised support to the Congress during the mayoral election.
However, sources said, Mr. Khan is keen on fielding a councillor from his constituency for the post of deputy mayor. He is seeking the support of two other JD (S) MLAs to ensure the victory of his loyalist.
In the 2015 elections, B.N. Manjunath Reddy of the Congress was elected Mayor and Hemalatha Gopalaiah as Deputy Mayor. Hemalatha Gopalaiah is the wife of JD (S) MLA K. Gopalaiah.
