After state, BJP set to pip Congress-JD(S) to power in BBMP too

BENGALURU: Partners Congress and JD(S) are expected to lose control of the civic body that governs the tech capital of Bengaluru, with the BJP geared up to unseat the incumbents in the September 27 mayoral polls.

This is the last year of the current corporation’s five-year term, and all these years, the BJP had not been able to rule the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike despite being the largest party with about 100 of the 198 corporators. The Congress-JD(S) combine had usurped power, benefitting from a provision in the Municipal Corporations Act.

“The alliance between the Congress and the JD(S) is on the rocks. Corporators from across party lines want the BJP to be in power,” deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan, a BJP MLA from Bengaluru, told ET. The party, he said, is working out its strategies.


The changed political scenario in Karnataka that saw the collapse of the JD(S)-Congress alliance government in July and the concomitant rise of the BJP is expected to play out in the municipal body, clouding the Congress’ future.

Though the council’s strength is 198 members, because the law confers voting rights to all elected representatives such as MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Bengaluru, 257 members including Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and DV Sadananda Gowda can vote. The numbers don’t help either side, and a lot depends on how six independent corporators will vote. While the candidates for the mayor and deputy mayor posts will need 129 votes to win, the BJP can go up to 126. The party is hopeful that the independents will sail with the BJP wind this time.

“Independent corporators who earlier backed the coalition are not interested to support the Congress-JD(S) anymore for the simple reason that the BJP is in a powerful position in the state. Besides, we are also hoping that at least 20 corporators who are supporters of disqualified (Congress and JD[S]) lawmakers will abstain from voting,” a senior BJP leader said.

The Congress leaders seem to have given up. Former minister Ramalinga Reddy, who had played a crucial role in stitching together the coalition in the civic body and ensuring support from the independent corporators, doesn’t sound hopeful.

“When our party itself is not in power in the state, I do not see a reason why we should make an effort to save the council. Earlier, I took the initiative to retain power, but not anymore. My party has not discussed the matter yet,” Reddy said.