Karnataka - Bijapur   

ULB quota dashes BJP’s hopes in Bijapur, Bagalkot

BIJAPUR: Reservations to the posts of president and vice-president in urban local bodies (ULBs) appear to have deprived the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of power in at least three ULBs in Bijapur and Bagalkot districts despite having a majority in them.

This is so because the party has no eligible members to occupy the posts reserved under various categories.

The Congress is set to gain power in most of these ULBs though it has no majority in them.

For instance, the post of president is reserved for “Scheduled Caste woman” in Mudhol Town Municipal Council (TMC). The BJP has two-thirds majority with 19 members in the 27-member body, while the Congress has seven.

The BJP has no candidate from this category, but the Congress has.

Similar is the case in Bagalkot City Municipal Council (CMC), where the BJP has an overwhelming majority. In the 31-member body, its strength is 25, while the Congress is far behind with four seats.

Here, the post of president is reserved for “Backward Class-B woman”, much to the delight of the Congress, which is the only party that has an eligible candidate.

In the 35-member Bijapur CMC, the BJP has 15 members and the support of four independent councillors. The post of president is reserved for “Scheduled Caste woman”, but the party has no member from this category. Chandubai Laxman Chavan, an independent, now identified with the Congress, is the only eligible candidate.

The BJP has no eligible candidate for vice-president posts in at least four ULBs, including Bilagi, Badami, Rabkavi-Banahatti and Terdal, though it has absolute majority in them.

According to former Minister and senior BJP leader Govind Karjol, this “unjust earmarking” has been done at the behest of the Congress leaders. It has also happened in other parts of the State. The Congress, which received a drubbing in the elections, had been trying to gain power through backdoor, he said.

Mr. Karjol also said that his party would move the court against this “injustice”.

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