HUBLI: With the issue of notification by the Government reserving the posts of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to Other Backward Classes "B" and General categories, the stage is now set for fresh elections to the top two posts in the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.

The new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, to be elected at a meeting on June 30, would be the last team of the elected body, whose five-year tenure expires next year. No mayoral election has taken place in the civic body without its quota of tensions, as the Congress does not have an absolute majority in the 67-member corporation. The Congress is only the largest single group with 22 members, and has been holding the reigns with the help of the Janata Dal (S), which has 12 members. The Janata Dal (S) was the dominant and the Congress was the minority partner in the previous term. There has always been haggling within the Congress over the choice of candidates, and also with its partner in sharing power. The Congress as a matter of principle has always opted for the post of the Mayor in the past four years. It has left the post of the Deputy Mayor to the Janata Dal (S).

Though the Janata Dal (S) is expected to renew its claim for having a go at the post of the Mayor for the last year of the five-year term, it is unlikely that the Congress will concede the demand. But the Janata Dal (S) has no alternative but to accept an arrangement that does not include the post of the Mayor.

The problem of selection of a candidate for the post of the Mayor has always proved to be ticklish for the Congress. The party is required according to an unofficial arrangement to balance between Hubli and Dharwad as far as sharing of the post is concerned. In the beginning, the Congress gave a go-by to choosing alternatively between Hubli and Dharwad. The Mayors for the first three years have been from Hubli, and Dharwad got the chance last year when Mangalagouri Agnihotri was elected. What clinched the issue in favour of Ms. Mangalagouri Agnihotri, a Rajput, has been the link she has been able to establish with the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, who also happens to be a Rajput.

The question at the moment is whether the next Mayor would also come from Dharwad with Hubli having had a fling at it thrice. But everything boils down to what S.R. Morey, Minister for Municipal Administration and district in charge, decides. In the corporation, the Congress, marked by a faction-feud all along, Mr. Morey by virtue of his position has gained an upper-hand over Jabbar Khan Honnalli, Minister for Sports, who represents the Hubli City Assembly segment, and A.M. Hindasgeri, former Minister and a camp follower of H.K. Patil, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs. The one-year rule of Ms. Mangalagouri Agnihotri has been a rule by proxy. It is said Mr. Morey is running the show.

The Congress needs to refurbish its badly battered image before it goes to the people seeking renewal of their mandate next year. Will Mr. Morey back his chosen crony once again or opt for a good one among the aspirants to handle the post remains to be seen.

Party position

The party position, excluding the five nominated members of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, is: Congress 27; BJP 22; Janata Dal (S) seven; Janata Dal (U) 10; and one independent. In addition, the Congress has the support of five legislators and MPs in their ex-officio capacity. The BJP has the support of two such members, while the Janata Dal (S) and the Janata Dal (U) have the support of one member each.

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