BJP wins Bengaluru polls, setback for Karnataka CM

The saffron party won around 100 seats in the 198 member council, with Congress securing 74 seats

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah suffered setback after voters in Bengaluru rejected the ruling party in the corporation elections on predicted lines and reposed faith in Bharatiya Janata Party.

BJP had a majority in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in the 198 member council that was dissolved by the government in April, four days before it ended its tenure

The Congress, reluctant to contest the elections due to the city's governance challenges, cited the need to divide the city for better administration but was forced by a Supreme court ruling to conduct the elections. The government had also appointed an administrator to oversee the city's governance.

The BJP won around 100 seats in the 198 member council, with congress securing 74 seats in the results announced on Tuesday. The H D Deve Gowda led Janata Dal (Secular) got 15 seats in the elections held on August 22.

In the previous council, BJP had 113 members.

Congress, with five ministers and 13 legislators from Bengaluru had launched an aggressive campaign, but lost the city due to citizens concerns over growing infrastructure problems in the city

Siddaramaiah, who led the Congress victory in the state against the BJP in 2013, has been criticised for not putting effort in building infrastructure for the city and losing investments to rival states such as Andhra Pradesh and Telengana.

Siddaramaiah owned responsibility for the defeat saying that he tried to improve governance but it was too little. "We expected a majority but did not get the required seats. This is not a referendum on our government," he said.

T V Mohandas Pai, a prominent Bengaluru citizen and vice president of the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) said the voters have delivered a confused verdict as citizens were disgusted by the governance in the city.

"The chief minister's action in the last three months has won the party a few seats. In the first two years, Bangalore was ignored completely or congress could have done better," said Pai.

BPAC is an initiative by the citizens to push for better governance in politics in the city.

"The last (BJP-led) council was the most corrupt in the history of the city. Now, the new councillors should adhere to Prime Minister's direction and take oath with "mein Kahoonga nahin, kilaaoonga nahin (I will not be corrupt nor will allow others to be corrupt)," said Pai.