It has been 3 months since the JD(S)-Congress government came into existence, and in the first elections held, Congress wins.
Congress’ win comes after the party’s crushing blow in the Assembly elections.
The party grabbed a 105 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state, winning 982 of the 2,662 seats for which polls were held, with the BJP coming in second with 929, the JD(S) 375, the BSP 13, Independents 329 and others 34.
Of the three city corporations which faced the polls, the BJP won Shivamogga – the hometown of its state president B.S. Yeddyurappa but could not get a clear majority in Tumakuru and Mysuru where it emerged as the single largest party.
The Congress & the JD(S) decided to come together in both the corporations to stop the BJP’s attempts to seize power after the 2019 polls.
The BJP displayed an impressive performance by securing a clear majority in 10 of 29 city municipal councils, an indication that the party continues to be preferred by urban voters, especially in big cities and towns.
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Of the total 108 urban local bodies, polls were held in 105. Elections to Kushalnagar, Somawarpet and Virajpet town panchayats in Kodagu district were postponed due to heavy rain and landslides. Fresh dates are yet to be announced. Of the 105 urban local bodies, three were city corporations, 29 city municipal councils, 53 town municipal councils and 20 town panchayats.
Of the total 135 wards in the three city corporations, the BJP won 54, Congress 36, JD(S) 30 and BSP 1, and Independents 14. The results also indicate the alliance between the Congress and JD(S) did little to help either party consolidate their positions in coastal districts. The pre-poll campaign had witnessed stray incidents of clashes between workers of both parties at the grassroots level, even though leaders had claimed the elections were a friendly fight.
In Old Mysuru area, the JD(S) was way ahead of the Congress, while it almost made a clean sweep in Mandya and Hassan districts.
Reacting to the results, BJP state president Yeddyurappa admitted that the results are not up to expectations but tried to brush aside the not so impressive show remarking that these polls could not be a trendsetter for the Lok Sabha elections which are fought on different issues.
KPCC president, Dinesh Gundurao said the poll outcome is a fitting reply to those who have been claiming that the Congress has become weak in the state. “Former CM Siddaramaiah and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda have made it clear that the Congress and JD (S) will come together to take control of the administration in towns and cities which witnessed a fractured verdict,” he said.
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