Bengaluru: Whose clout will prevail over selection of Mayor?

 Bengaluru: The pressure is mounting on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to select a Mayoral candidate, with ministers, MLAs and MPs pitching for their candidates for the top city post.

Congress MP from Bengaluru Rural D.K. Suresh, who is the brother of Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, is demanding a Mayoral candidate from wards on the outskirts of the city. Mr Velu Naicker from Lakshmidevi Nagar and Mr Anjanappa from Begur, who represent wards from his constituency, are his choice. Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George is said to be insisting on a Mayoral candidate from his Bengaluru East constituency, from where no mayor has been chosen till now. Mr George's aide and D.J. Halli corporator Sampath Raj is the frontrunner.

This year, the mayor's post has been reserved for an SC candidate, and the election is scheduled for September 28.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dinesh Gundurao too is batting for Mr Govindaraju, Subhash Nagar ward corporator, who is a candidate from his Gandhinagar constituency.

While Mr Suresh and Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Muniratna have openly demanded that the chief minister choose between Mr Velu Naicker and Mr Anjanappa from his constituency, Congress sources said that the real fight is between Mr Sampath Raj and Mr Govindaraju, who is a JD(S) politico turned Congressman, who is said to be in the good books of Mr Dinesh Gundurao.

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, "The right candidate will be handpicked in a meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George and other top leaders."

Asked if a candidate's seniority, the development works done in the ward or the administrative abilities to keep the city under control would determine the next mayor, Mr Reddy said that there are no such criteria to zero in on a candidate. "All the four who are in the race are eligible candidates. With elections round the corner, we will hold a meeting two days before the elections and pick the candidate."

A Congressman from the BBMP said, "With the party's reputation damaged by incessant rains, flooding and potholes, the CM is keen on choosing a strong candidate who can keep the city administration under control and deliver."Mr Gundurao and Mr George were unavailable for comments.

Choose Sampath Raj for Mayor: Sardar Ahmed Qureshi
While the fight is on to select the Mayoral candidate in the Congress, Mr Sardar Ahmed Qureshi, president of the Tipu Sultan United Front, and members of the Bengaluru Hitarakshane Okkuta are set to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G. Parameshwar to insist upon selecting D. J. Halli corporator Sampath Raj for the Mayor’s post.

“We are meeting Mr Siddaramaiah on Saturday and we will demand that Mr Sampath Raj be made the city mayor," Mr Qureshi said. He said, “Mr Sampath Raj is an able candidate who is known to be secular. As a ground level worker, he has changed the face of one of the most backward areas – D.J. Halli. For a city plagued with many problems, we want a visionary like Mr Sampath Raj to be the city mayor."