Chief minister Siddaramaiah will finalize mayoral candidate today

BENGALURU: The Congress-JD(S) alliance in the BBMP is set to continue for another term.
Putting speculation to rest, transport minister B Ramalinga Reddy on Monday said the JD(S), which had demanded the mayor's post earlier, has settled for the deputy mayor's post and instead wanted five of the 12 standing committee chairperson posts. "We have agreed to it," he added.
Prakashnagar ward corporator G Padmavathi is the strong favourite to become mayor.With just a day left for the election, Reddy said chief minister Siddaramaiah will take the final call on the mayoral candidate on Tuesday after he returns to Bengaluru. He was on a tour of Chamarajanagar on Monday.
Padmavathi and P Sowmya of Shanthinagar ward are the front-runners but the former, a loyalist of energy minister D K Shivakumar, appears to have the edge. With too many contenders in the fray for the deputy mayor's post, it has become a headache for the JD(S) leadership. It's planning to nominate a Muslim candidate.
The BJP, which was expecting a rift between the Congress and JD(S), had announced it would field its candidate for the mayor's post. But now, it's seeking a face-saving option by not fielding any candidate.