Congress-JD(S) snatch Zilla Panchayat, BS Yeddyurappa left red-faced

Shivamogga/Bengaluru: In an embarrassment for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),   the Shivamogga zilla panchayat  has slipped out of  its grasp although it needed only one more seat to gain control of it, having emerged as the single largest party, winning 15  of  the 31seats, in the recent local body elections.

With all seven Janata Dal (Secular) members , an independent member, Veda Vijay Kumar and all  eight Congress members joining hands, the Bharatiya Janata Party was soundly defeated in the polls to the  president’s and vice president’s posts on Thursday.

Some Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, including Bhadravati MLA, M.J.Appaji Gowda had reportedly agreed to go with the BJP to gain power in the zilla panchayat,  but Sorab MLA, Madhu Bangarappa is said to have persuaded them otherwise, leaving the saffron party red faced in the home district of its state president, B.S Yeddyurappa.  While Ms Jyothi of the Janata Dal (Secular)  was pitted against Ms Arundathi of the  Bharatiya Janata Party in the election for president, independent member,   Veda Vijay Kumar contested against the BJP’s Apoorva Sharadhi for the post of vice-president.

At the end of the poll, Ms Jyothi was elected president and Ms Vijay Kumar, vice president. The latter, who contested as a Congress rebel, is the wife of  Congress worker, Vijay Kumar , a confidante of Energy Minister, D.K. Shivakumar.

Only recently, senior BJP leader, K.S.Eshwarappa had oozed confidence about gaining control of the Shivamogga  zilla pancahayat with the help of the Janata Dal (Secular).  

But the shocking turn of events is likely to cause the BJP to do some serious soul searching about where it could have gone wrong in what is seen as its turf.

Hassan ZP: JD(S) to keep away from poll meet
Upset over reservation to the ZP president's post, newly-elected Janata Dal (Secular) members of Hassan Zilla Panchayat have decided to stay away from any meeting convened by the regional commissioner to elect the president and vice-president till the case is disposed of in court.

Sources close to former minister and MLA, H.D. Revanna told Deccan Chronicle that they did not want to participate in the election process at least till the petition filed in court questioning reservation for the post of president is heard. "Come what may, there is no question of joining hands with the Congress in the zilla panchayat since the state government has deceived them by reserving the president's post for Scheduled Tribe (woman). It has been done deliberately to prevent the JD(S) from grabbing the president post", they said.

In the 40-member ZP, the JD(S) has 23 members followed by Congress with 16 and BJP with one member. It has become necessary for Congress to get the support of JD(S) to have its candidate as president.

But, the JD(S) did not want this to happen as it wants Ms Bhavani Revanna, wife of Mr Revanna who is a president aspirant, to rule the Hassan Zilla Panchayat for five years. The JD(S) does not have a ST(woman) candidate who is qualified to become ZP president because of which it has been opposing the government's decision since the day the reservation list was announced.