Bengaluru: With the term of incumbent Mayor G. Padmavathi coming to an end on September 28, Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (S) are busy making various calculations.
The JD(S) too is upset that the ruling coalition partner Congress was not following the coalition rules and let it down several times.
JD (S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and state president H.D. Kumaraswamy have expressed their displeasure against Congress, as the seven expelled MLAs have been inducted into the party.
The JD(S) has been an expert in driving hard bargain and last time it succeeded in getting the post of deputy mayor and crucial standing committees, sources pointed out.
This time around the JD(S) may aim to bargain for Mayor’s post. For Congress it is crucial to be in power in BBMP, as the assembly elections is round the corner and they need to project Bengaluru in good light to voters. If the Congress concedes, the JD(S) may get mayoral post. The mayor’s post has been reserved for Scheduled Caste, sources added.
Mayor Padmavathi told Deccan Chronicle that the developments at the Assembly or Vidhana Soudha level cannot be compared to the BBMP administration or affairs. The JD(S) has been getting what they want and the relationship between the senior leaders of the both the parties is good. The JD(S) will surely support Congress and its candidature, she said.
The BJP, which has majority in the BBMP council with 101 seats, too is trying hard to control the BBMP affairs. Even if the coalition between JD(S) and Congress beaks up the party still needs five more seats. Though the BJP can woo independents it is unlikely they would join BJP, sources added.
However, the BJP is treading cautiously. The state government may not provide timely financial support and even upset the garbage disposal in the city to bring disrepute, added sources.
Instead, the party will try to highlight the maladministration during the Congress and JD(S) coalition regime during Assembly elections, said BJP sources.
