After dithering, Congress goes with Gangambike

BENGALURU: High drama prevailed in the Congress camp on Thursday, the eve of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (

BBMP

) mayoral elections, with two independent corporators — both supporters of the Congress — going missing, and the

party leadership

failing to arrive at a consensus on its candidate till late in the night.


Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao and Bengaluru city MLAs held a series of meetings throughout Thursday, but could not arrive at a consensus on the candidate. As a result, the party decided to put off declaring their candidate’s name till the time of filing of nominations on Friday. The mayor’s post is reserved for a woman (general category).

However, in a late night development, the party leadership picked

Gangambike

Mallikarjun as its mayoral candidate. Sources said the party decided to go with former minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was keen on Gangambike.

Gangambike, Jayanagar ward corporator, and P Sowmya Shivakumar of Shantinagar ward, were the two candidates in the fray for the post. While Gangambike was backed by Reddy, Sowmya’s candidature was backed by Shantinagar MLA NA Haris.

Reddy seemed compelled to back Gangambike for two reasons. First, her husband Mallikarjun is one his staunch supporters. Second, Reddy believed making a Lingayat mayor will help the Congress assuage hurt feelings of the community, who is upset with the party over the Lingayat-Veerashaiva controversy.

No Lingayat has occupied the post till now.

On the other hand, Haris contended that his constituency has not received representation in any of the standing committees in the last three years, while he too has been denied a ministerial berth despite being a third time MLA. Many Vokkaligas in the party including water resources minister DK Shivakumar is said to have backed Haris. They contended that making a Vokkaliga mayor will give the party an edge over the BJP in next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, BJP leaders remained tight-lipped on whether to field a candidate. However, sources said a corporator from Bommanahalli assembly segment is likely to be party’s candidate.

Independents untraceable
Corporators Ramesh of Marathahalli and S Anandkumar of Hoysalanagar ward, who are among seven independents supporting the Congress-JDS combine in the BBMP council, remained untraceable till Thursday evening, prompting Congress to point fingers at the BJP.

“The BJP has forcibly taken away two independent corporators who have been with us for the past three years,” alleged KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao, while exuding confidence that the Congress-JD(S) combine would defeat the BJP in the polls. “It shows how desperate the BJP leaders are to grab power. They have been indulging in all sorts of illegal means to poach our councillors.”

The development forced Congress to pack off five independents to a resort near Bidadi under the supervision of Congress MLAs S T Somashekhar, Munirathna and Byrathi Suresh.

BBMP’s electoral college comprises 259 voters, of which Congress has the support of 136 members including seven independents. The BJP has 124 votes. Now that two independents have reportedly switched sides, Congress’ tally is likely to dip to 133 — still three votes above the half-way mark.



HECTIC PARLEYS: NA Haris, KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao, Dy CM G Parameshwara and Ramalinga Reddy at a meeting to pick the party’s candidate for the mayor’s post on Thursday