Cong(I) keen on Prema Cariappa becoming Mayor

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, NOV. 26. With the Congress(I) apparently being keen on electing Ms. Prema Cariappa, a councillor from Maruthisevanagar as the next Mayor, election for which post is scheduled for Wednesday, political activity in the City is on a low key.

It is understood that the party has made its intentions about the choice of Ms. Cariappa known to the other councillors, who are said to have been advised by the High Command not to stake their claims to the hot seat.

For Ms. Cariappa, who had withdrawn from the contest during last year's Mayoral poll after securing a promise from the party that she would be made the Mayor for 2000-01, it is expected to be a cakewalk on the poll day.

In the run-up to the election to the key post during the previous years, the political activity used to heighten a couple of weeks before the important day. But this year, hardly any one councillor seems to be grouping up his/her supporters in the party seeking "blessings" from the senior leaders, as was the case all these years.

In fact, the issual of a Government notification this month changing the reservation for the Mayor's post -- which was to have gone for a candidate from BC(B) as per the earlier schedule -- was seen as an indication of the intentions of the Congress(I). The post has now been reserved for women from General category.

In the 100-member House, the Congress(I) has 36 members, including Mr. N.L.Narendra Babu, who joined the party recently. But 142 elected representatives, including legislators and members of Parliament, are eligible to cast their votes for the posts of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members of the eight standing committees of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

Of these, the Congress(I) commands 59 votes, followed by the BJP (36), Janata Dal-S (31), Janata Dal-U (11), Lok Shakthi (2), DMK (1) and Independents (2).

But the Congress(I) circles say that at least six of the Janata Dal(S) councillors have offered to join the party before the elections. Besides, it is banking on a vote from an Independent councillor and the lone DMK Councillor, Mr. V.Shivashankar. This would help boost the party's total to 67.

The party is yet to decide on seeking support of the Janata Dal groups. Last year, it had offered chairpersonship of four of the eight standing committees to the Janata Dal groups in lieu of the latter's support to the Congress(I) candidates in the Mayoral polls.

With the electoral scene having changed vastly this year, the Congress(I) is not very keen on sharing power with the Janata Dal groups, it is understood. However, it may offer chairpersonship of the two standing committees to Janata Dal(S) to get that party's support.

An argument in the party is that it could win chairpersonship of all the standing committees, besides the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor on its own. But the High Command was not willing to take any "risks," it is said. It is feared that the Janata Dal(S), led by former Mayor, Mr. J.Huchappa, might put up hurdles hindering the Congress(I) candidates having a cakewalk in the elections to the standing committees, each of which will have eight members.

Though there are at least four contenders for the post of Deputy Mayor in the Congress(I), Mr. Puttaraju and Mr. B.T.Srinivasmurthy, are said to be making serious efforts to win the post. Who will emerge victorious remains to be scene.

The councillors are expected to meet the President of the Bangalore City District Congress Committee President, Mr. Ramalinga Reddy, on Monday afternoon to express their opinion about the candidates for the posts. However, they would all have to go by the decision of the High Command, which is expected to send sealed covers with the names of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor at 10 a.m. on the polling day.

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