Mysore/Mysuru: Three days after Sunanda Palanetra was elected as the first BJP Mayor of the city, JD(S) MLA S.R. Mahesh blamed the adamant stance of Congress leaders for the Mayor post  going to BJP.

Addressing a press meet at his office near Ramavilas Road here on Saturday, S.R. Mahesh, the JD(S) MLA from K.R. Nagar, maintained that the Mayor post went to the BJP as the State Congress leaders took an adamant stand of not talking to State JD(S) leaders in the run up to the Mayoral poll held on Aug. 25.

Asserting that neither KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar nor Opposition Leader Siddharamaiah spoke to the JD(S) top brass regarding the Mysuru Mayoral poll, Mahesh noted that just as how the High Command is important for the Congress, the party’s top brass is important for the JD(S) too in taking decisions. 

Pointing out that only N.R. MLA Tanveer Sait and KPCC Working President R. Dhruvanarayan spoke to him about continuation of the Congress-JD(S) alliance in the MCC, when the two Congress leaders were told that the JD(S) would leave the Mayor post to the Congress subject to the condition that the Congress High Command should talk to JD(S) top brass, Mahesh contended that however, the Congress leaders were unwilling to talk to former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda nor former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Stating that only N.R. MLA Tanveer Sait approached him the previous night of the day of Mayoral poll, Mahesh said that he clearly told Sait that State Congress leaders should talk to JD(S) top brass, which did not happen at all and this forced the JD(S) to field it’s own candidate for the Mayoral poll.

Making a startling revelation that a plot was hatched in the MCC for misappropriation of                                                 Rs. 6 crore funds, Mahesh claimed  that  JD(S) Corporators have thwarted such attempts and he would shortly disclose documents regarding it. He also alleged that an MCC official had plotted to misuse funds under 15th Financial plan and other allocations.

Stating that he was supportive of  MP Pratap Simha’s demand that the use of  Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms by IAS and IPS officers be stopped, MLA S.R. Mahesh said that these bureaucrats who get  a good salary and other benefits from the Government, are engaging social media platforms  only for promoting themselves and getting publicity. He also urged the bureaucrats to stop opening fake Facebook accounts in the name of their fans or followers. He reiterated that the Government should ban use of Facebook, Twitter and such other social media platforms by bureaucrats and other top Government servants. 

Referring to the recent announcement by his fellow JD(S) MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), who represents Chamundeshwari constituency,  that he would join the Congress, S.R. Mahesh said that he has all along been stating that GTD was always their leader. Expressing the hope that GTD would soon change his mind and continue in the JD(S), he said that the party would wait  for him just like Shabari waited for Lord Rama as told in Ramayana.

Observing that GTD’s exit from the JD(S) would  politically affect him (GTD) and also the JD(S) in the coming days, the K.R. Nagar MLA recalled the efforts made by JD(S) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda to retain him in the party. 

Stating  that GTD  should realise that the party is bigger than an individual, Mahesh contended that both H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy still have an open mind in retaining GTD in the party.