Kalaburagi Corporation: JD(S) corporators looking for Mayor post

Four newly elected JDS corporators of the Kalaburagi city corporation, whose support the Congress and BJP will need to gain power, are said to have decided to join hands with the party that offers them the Mayors post.The corporators, along with party leaders from Kalaburgai on Wednesday met JDS supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy here and held discussions.In Gulbarga Kalaburagi there was a party called KCP.

Four newly elected JD(S) corporators of the Kalaburagi city corporation, whose support the Congress and BJP will need to gain power, are said to have decided to join hands with the party that offers them the Mayor's post.

The corporators, along with party leaders from Kalaburgai on Wednesday met JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy here and held discussions.

''In Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) there was a party called KCP. Despite having one corporator, Congress and JD(S) had made him the Mayor in the past. There are several such incidents....it is not for us to decide, it for Congress and BJP to decide. Whoever is ready to make us Mayor, we will talk to them,'' a JD(S) leader from Kalaburagi, Nasir Hussain Ustad, who had accompanied the corporators, said.

Stating that for any alliance to happen, it should be for the full five year term and JD(S) should play an active role in development, he said, ''It has to be a JD(S) mayor in the first term at least. Should it be a JD(S) mayor for three terms or not is still undecided.'' The Congress had got several opportunities in Kalaburagi, but development did not take place, he said, adding that ''Our aim is that the JD(S) should be a part of the development agenda in Kalaburagi.'' The recent elections to the 55-member Kalaburagi civic body had thrown up a hung verdict, with the Congress winning 27, BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and one Independent.

The halfway mark is 28, making JD(S) corporators the ''kingmakers''.

Both Congress and BJP have made attempts to seek support of the JD(S) to gain control of the corporation.

Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from the region, has reached out to Gowda, while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held talks with Kumaraswamy.

Stating that he had spoken to the JD(S) leader on ''going together'' in Kalaburagi Corporation, Bommai on Tuesday had hinted at BJP joining hands with the regional party.

There are also reports that both Gowda and Kumaraswamy may not be on the same page on whom to support. While Gowda is inclined towards allying with the Congress, Kumaraswamy seems to be looking towards the BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)