Politics makes strange bedfellows. After lots of politics — resort politics, hectic lobbying and horse-trading — in the end of the story both the Congress and the JD(S) became strange bedfellows to snatch power from the BJP in the Bruhut Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Politically it was a saving grace to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who played key role in getting Congress corporator from Madiwala ward BN Manjunath Reddy getting elected as the new Mayor of BBMP.
In the elections held on Friday the Congress mayoral candidate BN Manjunath Reddy defeated the BJP’s nominee G Manjunath Raju by three votes. Of the total 259 votes polled Reddy bagged 131 and Raju 128 votes. As per the Congress-JD(S) alliance agreement, the Deputy Mayor’s post went to JD(S) woman corporator SP Hemalatha with just 14 corporators.
Hectic parleys on the eve of Bengaluru mayoral poll saw the Congress and JD(S) thrash out details of power sharing within the urban civic body. The BJP had won 100 wards out of 198 in the polls held on August 22. The Congress had bagged 76, JD (S) bagged 14 and others eight.
In a smart political move by HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) and approved by his father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda they had tied up with the Congress to defeat BJP, the single largest party.
Political observers feel the victory at BBMP is seen as personal victory for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing internal dissent in the party over lot of issues including Cabinet expansion and appeasement politics. If the tie-up continues, they will rule BBMP for another five years. But looking at political fluidity and photo finish, the second year is going to be crucial as the BJP needs only three votes and Independents might play a major role in changing power equations. However, it is said even under opposition in the party Siddaramaiah convinced high command for a tie-up with JD(S), which needed some oxygen to survive.
Reacting to the Congress-JD(S) taking over the reins of the BBMP, Siddaramaiah said, “Bengaluru has a brand name. We will ensure to enrich it in the next five years.”
However in protest against the alliance senior BJP leaders including Ananth Kumar, Suresh Kumar, Ashoka, Ashwath Narayan and Venkiah Naidu walked out of Council hall after casting their votes.
Union Minister Ananth Kumar said the Congress had behaved in a very undemocratic way. “They have not respected people’s wishes. This is a setback for democracy.” he added.