Cong. does well in civic elections

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MAY 4. The ruling Congress has done well in Thursday's elections to urban local bodies but failed to sweep the polls belying the expectations of the leadership. The party's performance in three out of the four city corporations is below par and the people of Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga have elected `hung councils.'

However, the BJP has fared badly even though the elections were held in its urban and semi-urban strongholds. The two Janata Dals, which failed to come together in most places, will have the consolation of bagging some local bodies. But the independents have disproved the pollsters and have `captured' a good number of local bodies. They hold the key to running the affairs of a number of municipalities.

Of the four city corporations which went to the polls - Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga and Belgaum - the results were available in full for only the first three and, in all of them, no major political party could secure an absolute majority.

The picture was confusing in Belgaum Corporation as has been its tradition. Only the BJP had fielded its candidates and the other parties were part of the various groups which fought the elections. However, the Congress is confident of capturing the Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga corporations with the help of the JD(S), forming a `secular front.' Though claiming to be equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP, the JD(S) is an ally of the Congress in running the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. It is expected to lend its support to the Congress in Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga to keep the BJP out.

Of the 141 local bodies for which complete results were available at 7.00 p.m., the Congress had secured an absolute majority in only 84 local bodies. The BJP has had the mortification of securing a majority in only one place, Shikaripur in Shimoga District, which is the hometown of its former State unit President, Mr. B. S. Yediyurappa.

It won 13 out of the 23 seats in the municipality. Other than Shikaripur, it came close to capturing Anekal (Bangalore Rural) where it secured the majority, 11 out of 23 and might be able to secure the administration. It also stands a chance in Bhalki in Bidar District where it was level with the Congress, capturing 11 seats in the 23-member civic body. It has not fared well in the district, which has been its bastion. It has lost heavily to the Congress in the other municipalities of Bidar, Basavakalyan, Humnabad and Chittaguppa.

The JD(U) has captured six municipalities, Hoskote in Bangalore Rural District where it won 18 out of 23 seats, the district headquarters of Kolar, Ranebennur (Haveri District), Kittur and Hadagali in Bellary District and Mahalingapura in Bagalkot District.

The JD(S) also secured five municipalities. Its major victory was in Holenarsipura, the hometown of its national President , Mr. H. D. Deve Gowda. The party won an impressive 15 out of 23 seats. Its other victories were in Belur (Hassan District), Nargund (Gadag), Ramanagaram (Bangalore Rural) and Kadur (Chikmagalur).

Independents, many of whom are stated to be Congress rebels, have been the victors in the district headquarters of Chitradurga (18 out of 35), Devanahalli (Bangalore Rural), Chinthamani (Kolar), Robertsonpet (Kolar, 30 out of 35), Sira (Tumkur), Indi and Basavana Bagewadi (Bijapur), the district headquarters of Bagalkot, Banahatti and Kerur (Bagalkot), Naregel (Gadag), Bhatkal (Uttara Kannada), Hospet and Chittapur (Gulbarga).

In 28 municipalities, no political party or independents have secured an absolute majority.

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