Congress picks Sampath Raj for Mayor

Bengaluru: The Congress has nominated Devaraja Jeevanahalli corporator Sampath Raj to be the 51st Mayor of Benglauru. Elections are scheduled for Thursday and the post has been reserved for Scheduled Caste this year.

The BJP has 100 seats, Congress 76 and JD(S) 14 in the BBMP Council. The BJP enjoys simple majority in the Council, but with the votes of MLAs, MLCs and MPs, and the Congress-JD(S) coalition set to continue, Congress’s mayoral candidate will emerge victorious.

Ahead of the polls, JD(S) leaders had expressed displeasure over continuing the alliance with the Congress. The party, which initially bargained for the mayor’s post, has been pacified with the Deputy Mayor’s post along with the power to head four standing committees.

Last two Mayoral elections saw high drama over the eligibility of voters in the Council. The total number of eligible voters t

his year is 266 and Congress-JD(S) alliance along with independent candidates can easily sweep the mayoral election.