Congress-JDS wins BBMP polls, Gangambike Mallikarjun elected Bengaluru Mayor

BENGALURU: The Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) alliance on Friday won the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Mayor elections. Congress candidate Gangambike Mallikarjun was elected as the Mayor while JDS candidate Ramila Umashankar was appointed as the Deputy Mayor.

The Congress had alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying to poach the legislators in its favour. After the results, Congress tweeted: "BJP walks out after #OperationKamala Failure." 

Congress also hit out at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman for abstaining from voting, saying that is "shows her interest towards Bengaluru." The party also alleged that BJP elected representatives manhandled a reporter.

Hearty congratulations to Gangambike Mallikarjun of Congress and Remila Umashankar of JD (S) on being elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively of BBMP. — KPCC President (@KPCCPresident) September 28, 2018

Till Thursday evening, the Congress had been engaged in hectic consultations to decide its candidate for the elections. After the two independent corporators had on Thursday switched loyalties to the BJP, Congress had deputed its MLAs ST Somashekhar and Munirathna to keep five other independent corporators under their watch at the resort on the outskirts of the city.

BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the 2015 Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council by winning 100 seats. The Congress had come second with 75 seats while the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) bagged 15 seats. 

The Congress and the JDS had come together with a support of seven other independent corporators. Reaching an agreement over power-sharing, Congress got the mayor post while deputy mayor post was given to the JDS.

The term of the municipal council is of five years, but the mayor and deputy mayor have a term of 11 months. The mayor and deputy mayors are elected by an electoral college comprising corporators and also MLAs, MLCs, MPs, who are voters in the city.