MANGALORE: Political experts are expressing doubts about Janata Dal (Secular) handing over power to Bharatiya Janata Party at the end of 20-month tenure of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. But, there has been no such problem in Mangalore Taluk Panchayat where the BJP came to power in January last with the help of Janata Dal (S). The BJP has since decided to vacate in favour of Janata Dal (S) in a power-sharing arrangement.

Gokuldas Shetty, president of Mangalore Taluk Panchayat, who is from the BJP told The Hindu here on Tuesday that he had tendered his resignation to the Deputy Commissioner on December 21.

"I will lay down office on January 4 and make way for Ranganath Shetty of Janata Dal (S). He will serve as president for the remainder of the 20-month term in this House," he said. Stating that initially the two parties wanted to share the 20-month term (allotted to presidents and vice-presidents in turns) at the end of the period, Mr. Shetty said the parties subsequently decided to split the 20-month period equally in a power-sharing arrangement. This, he said, was to counter the reservation factor that would come into play when elections to the two posts would be held in September.

"We do not know the reservation which would be applicable for the posts when elections are held. Besides, they have four members in the House, which has 37 members. If the reservation does not favour one of their members taking over as the president at the end of my 20-month period, it would leave us in a sticky position vis-à-vis our power-sharing agreement. Hence the decision to share the period equally," he said.

He has remained in power for 11-months.

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