Daijiworld Media Network – Mysore (SP)

Mysore, Feb 12: The BJP and the JDS, who are fighting tooth and nail to sink each other, have sunk their differences in Mysore zilla panchayat. Frustrated at the adamant posture of the Congress, the JDS has opted to align with the BJP to share power in the zilla panchayat here.

In the election held to the posts of the president and vice-president of the zilla panchayat on Friday February 11, Sunita Veerappa Gowda of the JDS, who represents Somanathpur constituency, was elected as the president. Sunita was a BJP MLA in the past. Dr Shivaram of the BJP, who has been elected from Kalale constituency, became the vice-president.

The BJP, which had only two zilla panchayat members in the past, has been able to muster eight seats in the 46-member zilla panchayat this time. Congress has 21 members, JDS has 16, while an independent member has also been elected. The BJP is happy that it could share power in spite of being a minority in the zilla panchayat. The Congress has paid the price for having stood its ground with its demand for the post of the president.

The JDS, since the very beginning, insisted on getting the post of the president, while the Congress was not willing to sacrifice that post, as its membership strength is more than that of the JDS. Frustrated JDS members that contacted the BJP, which was too willing to extend a hand of friendship. In the election conducted by the returning officer and divisional commissioner, M V Jayanti, Sunita and Shivaram secured 25 votes each (JDS – 16, BJP – 8, Independent – 1). Sumitra Govindaraju and K Mahadev, who contested on behalf of the Congress for the posts of the president and vice-president respectively, secured only 21 votes each, as only the Congress members supported them.

Commenting on the development, state JDS president, H D Kumaraswamy, said that obstinance on the part of Congress leaders had led to this situation. He said that the friendship with the BJP was a local arrangement, and that there is no need to attach too much importance to this development. He said that the JDS had demanded the post of the president in Mysore zillal panchayat, as it did not have any eligible candidates to contest for the post of the vice-president. "As the Congress insisted on bagging both the posts of the president and the vice-president, we were left with no other alternative but to approach the BJP," he explained. He also pointed out that the Congress and the BJP have shared power in Koppal zilla panchayat.

District in-charge minister, S A Ramadas, said that this was an arrangement entered into at the behest of the JDS, with a concern for the development of the district. "This issue has nothing to do with the BJP high command. As per the arrangement, JDS candidate will function as president for the first ten months, and hand over the post to a BJP candidate for the next ten months of the first term," he added.