BBMP Mayoral poll to be held on September 28

Bengaluru: The city is all set to get a new mayor and deputy mayor on September 28 as the Regional Commissioner has issued a calendar of events for the mayoral poll.

The Regional Commissioner has written to the BBMP Commissioner and to the council secretary to make all necessary preparations. The term of the incumbent Mayor G. Padmavathi and the Deputy Mayor Anand ends on September 28.

The notification issued by the secretary Urban Development puts an end to the speculation of extending the term of Mayor and the deputy Mayor and trifurcation of Bengaluru, paving the way for electing their mayors and deputy mayors. The notification has reserved the post of mayor for a candidate from Schedule Caste, while Deputy  Mayor  post is reserved for general women.

The BBMP council section will fix a separate date for holding polls for various standing committees as the term of the committees will end in October.

With assembly elections round the corner, there will be an interesting fight between the ruling Congress, which has wrested power with its coalition partner JD(S) and a few independents. The BJP, which enjoys the maximum number of corporator seats, is also leaving no stone unturned to capture power at the BBMP.

With the JD(S) feeling sidelined it is threatening to pull out of the coalition. It has been accusing the Congress of not following the coalition principle.

In 2015 BBMP election, BJP won 101 seats, while Congress got 76 and  JDS 14 and there were seven independents. One independent is supporting BJP.

Though BJP has simple majority in the Council, it could not capture power as MLA, MLCs and MPs too have voting rights for Mayor and Deputy Mauyor election. In that regard, Congress-JD(S) coalition outnumbers BJP.

For the Mayor’s post Sampathraj from Devajeevarahalli ward of Pulikeshinagar and Govindaraju from Subashnagar ward of Gandhinagar constituency are in the race. Both are two time corporators.

Senior Congress leaders want to pick a senior and able candidate as the state is going for polls.