BBMP mayoral polls: Congress-JDS coalition bags mayor, deputy mayor posts
The BJP is the biggest party in BBMP but does not have the numbers to beat the Congress-JD(S) coalition.
Bengaluru: The Congress-JD(S) coalition once again romped home in the BBMP mayoral polls on Thursday with Congress corporator Sampath Raj and Padmavathi Narasimha Murthy of JD(S), elected Bengaluru Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.
Their performance in the next nine months will be crucial to the prospects of the ruling Congress in the 2018 Assembly polls as Bengaluru sends as many as 28 legislators to the state Assembly. With the city's infrastructure in doldrums, roads ridden with potholes and the transport system in shambles, it will no doubt be an uphill task for the mayor and his deputy to regain the trust of citizens.
Mr. Sampath will be the 51st Mayor of the city and defeated his BJP opponent, S. Muniswamy. The election had its share of controversy with BJP corporators accusing the Congress of winning the poll with the help of bogus voters and walking out en masse. The BJP is the biggest party in BBMP but does not have the numbers to beat the Congress-JD(S) coalition.
The poll was conducted by regional commissioner Jayanti and Bengaluru (Urban) Deputy Commissioner V. Shankar.