Political shadow over Mysore civic body

As the Congress has failed to muster a majority, winning only 22 seats in the 65-member Mysore City Corporation, the ball is now in the Janata Dal (S) and BJP courts, which have won 18 seats each. But the possibility of their welding an alliance hinges on the October 3 decision on the chief minister's post.

Though the Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the municipal elections held on September 30, it is in no position in securing the reins of the municipal council, despite having some five dissidents among the seven independents elected, as the combined strength of the state coalition partners in Mysore is far ahead of it.

The possibility of the state coalition partners forging an alliance depends on whether the JD(S) really hands over the chief minister's seat to deputy chief minister BS Yediyurappa of the BJP, as promised 20 months ago by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

If the coalition partners fail to arrive at a solution and fall apart, it may not be surprising if the JD (S) extends its hand towards the Congress, to take hold of the Mysore City Corporation.

Such a possibility is not only likely in Mysore, but also in a couple of more civic bodies, where the Saturday's poll has not given a clear verdict in favour of any political party.

The outcome of the present municipal elections in Mysore is more or less the same as the polls held six years ago, when none of the three major political parties had won a clear majority. The Congress had secured 23 seats, while the JD(S) 18 and the BJP 16. Independents had won the rest six.

However, the Congress had gained control of the civic body after 'buying' over six BJP corporators. But, this time, it is no such position.

As can be seen, the Congress has won one seat less than last time and it reveals that the Siddaramaiah factor has not made much of a dent on the opposite parties.

So also the presence of MP V Sreenivasa Prasad and a few other local leaders on the Congress-side this time.