The Hindu : Karnataka News : Congress has the edge in Gulbarga mayoral polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Congress has the edge in Gulbarga mayoral polls

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA, JUNE 28. It appears that the Congress is in an advantageous position in the mayoral elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Although the strength of the Congress in the 64-member corporation was reduced from 29 to 26 after the Assembly elections, because of the defeat of Congress MLAs in Afzalpur, Gulbarga city, and Shahbad constituencies, the seven independents who hold the key to the victory of the candidates in the mayoral polls appear to be gravitating towards the Congress.

The Congress camp is so confident of retaining the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor that the party has not sought the support of the Janata Dal (S), its coalition partner at the State level. The Janata Dal (S) leaders, who entertained hopes of the Congress approaching their party for support, have made it clear that the Janata Dal (S) would seek the Deputy Mayor's post in exchange.

Senior Congress leaders, who are camping here for the past few days, said they do not require the support of any party to win the elections. They were confident of the support of independents.

Number-wise the BJP, the main Opposition in the corporation, and the Janata Dal (S) are dominant. Despite some moves to work out an arrangement to share the power made by a few leaders from both the parties, the BJP and the Janata Dal (S), even if they join hands, may not get the support of the required number of independent corporators.

A BJP leader said the party held informal discussions with the Janata Dal (S) leaders and corporators on a power-sharing arrangement under which the Mayor's post would go to the BJP and the Deputy Mayor's post for the Janata Dal (S). However, both the parties are no sure of the independents' support.

Of the eight independents, Mirza Khasim Baig has joined the Janata Dal (S) as an associate member, taking the strength of that party to 11, including nine corporators and an MLA, M.Y. Patil (Afzalpur).

The BJP, which has 14 corporators, is assured of the support of two MLAs — Chandrashekhar Patil Ravoor (Gulbarga city) and Sunil Valyapur (Shahbad) — and two MLCs in M.R. Tanga and Shashil G. Namoshi.

The strength of BJP and the Janata Dal (S) put together comes to 29, and they would require the support of at least four independents to cross the half-way mark to win the posts. On the other hand, the Congress with 26 members will have to muster the support of seven independents.

While the Opposition, particularly the BJP, is trying to secure the support of the independents, the Congress is working to ensure that its candidates sail through to avoid an embarrassment to the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, who hails from Gulbarga district.

The names that figure among the aspirants for the Mayor's post are that of Kalyanrao Patil, Amruthrao Patil, the former Deputy Mayor Santosh Patil, and Jagadish Bhimalli (all Congress). The names of Sharanabasappa Heggane and Hanumanth Gudda are heard in the BJP camp. The post of Mayor is reserved for the backward class (B) and the Deputy Mayor's for the general category.

The Janata Dal (S) does not have a candidate belonging to backward class (B) category. For the Deputy Mayor's post, the names that figure in the Congress list include Nandakumar Malipatil and Zaheer Khan. In the Janata Dal (S), the name of Mangala Sham Whagmore is doing the rounds for the post of Deputy Mayor.

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