BJP boycotts BBMP mayoral polls, Sampath Raj elected as Bengaluru Mayor

The BJP members also staged a protest over the civic infrastructure lapses in the city and demanded accountability from the BBMP.
BJP boycotts BBMP mayoral polls, Sampath Raj elected as Bengaluru Mayor
BJP boycotts BBMP mayoral polls, Sampath Raj elected as Bengaluru Mayor

The BBMP mayoral polls saw unprecedented drama, as the BJP pulled out of the electoral fray.

Sampath Raj, the Congress corporator from Devara Jeevanahalli was elected as the 51st mayor of Bengaluru unopposed as the BJP refused to take part in the elections. This time, the Mayor’s post was reserved for an SC candidate.

In the BBMP polls, MPs, MLCs, MLAs residing in Bengaluru can vote - which favours the Congress – JD(S) alliance. The BJP approached the Election Commission over the alleged voting by those MPs, MLAs and MLCs who weren’t residents of the city.

The BJP members also staged a protest over the civic infrastructure lapses in the city and demanded accountability from the BBMP, saying that Rs 22,000 crore has been spent by the Palike in the last four years.

“The Congress leaders in the BBMP have spent crores of rupees in the name of development, and yet the roads are filled with potholes, the lakes are polluted and rain is flooding people’s homes. We demand a full account of every rupee spent on this alleged development,” former Home Minister and BJP leader R Ashok said.  

Mocking the recurring incidents of flooding, the BJP said, “The CM should start a new scheme called ‘Boat Bhagya’ so that people can be rescued after their homes are inundated.”

Sampath Raj, the Congress’s choice, became the Mayor even though the BJP has more seats than the JD(S) and Congress combined, thanks to the voting rules of the mayoral elections.

Padmavathi, the JD(S) councillor from Rajajinagar ward was elected to be the Deputy Mayor for the next year.

The chiefs of four standing committees will also be from the JD(S), as agreed by the state home minister Ramalinga Reddy and former PM HD Devegowda.

While the BJP has 100 seats, Congress and the JD(S) have 76 and 14 elected corporators each.

This result comes after the Congress and the JD(S) managed to settle their differences ahead of the elections. According to the agreement, the Congress and the JD (S) would have the posts of mayor and deputy mayor respectively.

Weeks before the election, the buzz was that the JD (S) might switch alliance partners, protesting the alleged highhandedness of Congress corporators. There were also reports that suggested that the JD(S) might demand the post of mayor as a counter measure.

A coordination committee was formed to solve the issue and the JD (S) were assured that they would be a party to the decision-making process.

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