Karnataka - Mysore   

BJP’s prospects of gaining control of MCC

MYSORE: The imminent entry of G.T. Deve Gowda from the Janata Dal (Secular) along with his followers to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp has brightened the prospects of the latter cobbling a simple majority to wrest control of the Mysore City Corporation (MCC).

Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda was the undisputed leader of the Janata Dal (S) in Mysore following the exit of political heavyweight Siddaramaiah. The former’s move is likely to be emulated by the Janata Dal (S) councillors.

The recently concluded polls threw up a hung council with the Congress bagging 22 seats in the 65-member House and the BJP and Janata Dal (S) winning 18 seats each.

The number of seats required to form the local government is 33, but no single party could come up with that figure. The final decision, therefore, hinged upon the outcome of the political development at the State level.

The political uncertainty is now crystallising into a favourable situation for the BJP to wrest control of the MCC with outside support from the Councillors who swear allegiance to Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda who is also the president of the Mysore district unit of the Janata Dal (S). Sources in the Janata Dal (S) told The Hindu that once the entry of Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda into the BJP is formalised, it will only be a matter of time for the 12 councillors who are backing him, to announce their support to the BJP. The BJP is also confident of securing the support of the seven independents. The fence sitters among the BJP may be forced to toe the line of the majority thus giving the BJP an opportunity to stake its claim to head the MCC.

“Twelve of the 18 JD (S) Councillors are backing G.T. Deve Gowda and the district unit may even take a decision to collectively endorse the latter’s decision and extend support en masse, to the BJP,” according to senior party leaders here.

Observers say this prognosis seems to be more realistic as the Janata Dal (S) in Mysore is today bereft of any senior leader with mass base following the exit of Mr. Siddaramaiah two years ago and now Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda. One person from the region who commands a following and continues to swear allegiance to Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda is D.T. Jayakumar but his constituency is Nanjangud and he has little following in Mysore.

For the Congress which is the single largest outfit with 22 councillors, it has little hopes of cobbling a majority on its own under the prevailing circumstances and may have to play the role of the Opposition.

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