Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (SP)

Shivamogga, May 6: BJP suffered loss of face at the home turf of former chief minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa, in spite of having a membership strength in the zilla panchayat (ZP) that is just one short of majority. In the election to the post of the president of the ZP held on Thursday May 5, the Congress-JDS which had forged an alliance came up trumps.

In the 31-member ZP, BJP has a membership strength of 15. Congress has eight members, JDS has seven, while the other member happens to be a Congress rebel candidate. The post of the president was reserved for woman from general category, while the that of the vice president was to be filled by a woman from BCM (B) category. Lot of behind-the-scene manoeuvres had happened to tap maximum benefit of the current scenario before the election was held to the post of the president and vice president.

The election was conducted under the supervision of Jayanti, regional commissioner from Bengaluru, who had been appointed as returning officer. The process began at 3 pm. Jyoti submitted her nomination on behalf of Congress-JDS combine, while Arundhati Rajesh from Isur constituency was the candidate of the BJP. For the post of the deputy, the alliance candidate happened to be Veda Vijayakumar,, while Apoorva Sharadhi Poornesh of the BJP submitted papers for the post. On behalf of the alliance, 16 members cast their votes, while BJP candidates got 15. As such, BJP candidates were defeated by a margin of just one vote.

The alliance partners have divided the post of the president between them in the ratio of 30 months each. JDS candidate has been given the post of the president for the first term of 30 months. Congress rebel candidate has been made vice president now, and this post will go to JDS during the second term.