Mysore: The results of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) election that were announced yesterday has upset the JD(S) State President Adagooru H. Vishwanath as the party failed to garner maximum seats. Expressing his unhappiness at a press conference this morning in K.R. Nagar, he lashed out at Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh. The JD(S) lost K.R. Nagar to the Congress.

Mincing no words, Vishwanath said that though he had insisted that Kuruba community leaders must be given tickets in K.R. Nagar Town Municipal Council as they have winning capacity and popularity, his words were not taken into consideration by Minister Mahesh.  “Not even a single Kuruba was given a ticket. Though I am from Kuruba community, my suggestion was ignored and I tried speaking to Mahesh in the capacity of State JD(S) President but my suggestions were ignored,” he said.

Vishwanath termed Mahesh as arrogant and said that if a party head’s words are sidelined, what value he has in the party. “Mahesh thinks that money power can fetch rich results. He is mistaken and people have shown this to him. He must remember that he became an MLA from K.R. Nagar with the support of not just one community (Vokkaliga) but all communities including Kurubas have contributed for his victory. Mahesh must remember this and stop his arrogance and love towards money power,” Vishwanath said.

Reminding S.R. Mahesh that he won with a narrow margin of 1,600 votes, the JD(S) President said, “If Kurubas had not voted for you, you would have lost the MLA election. You are young and you should rectify your mistakes,” he told Mahesh.

Upset over Kurubas being sidelined in K.R. Nagar, Vishwanath said that JD(S) had to pay the price for not giving tickets to the community because of Minister Mahesh’s attitude. “Don’t measure voters with the yardstick of money,” Vishwanath advised Mahesh.

Congress gains upper hand in ULB polls

Just a month after the Lok Sabha, which the BJP led NDA swept the polls, the Congress showed signs of revival, with the party winning more seats than its rivals in the urban local body polls, the results of which were announced yesterday. Polls were held for 19 Town Panchayats (TPs), 30 Town Municipal Councils (TMCs) and seven City Municipal Councils (CMCs) on May 29.

Congress won 13 TMCs, two CMCs and three TPs, while BJP won 5 TMCs and 8 TPs JD(S) two TMCs and Independents two TMCs. In party-wise performance out of the total 1,221 wards in the 56 ULBs, the Congress won 509 seats, BJP 366, JD(S)-174, BSP-3, CPI(M), other 7 and Independents 160 seats.

In the Cauvery basis, the Congress party, which held power in K.R. Pet and Malavalli TMCs is likely to share power with the JD(S). It also lost Bannur TMC to JD(S). The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in Nanjangud CMC, which was held by the Congress. The BJP won 15 out of the 31 seats. The BJP also won Gundlupet TMC, bagging 113 out of the 23 seats, while the Congress managed 8, SDPI and independents, one seat each. The two victories of the JD(S) came from Srirangapatna and Bannur.

However, the coalition partners in the Government-Congress and JD(S) together have an opportunity to be in power in 13 ULBs that includes 5 TMCs, 3 CMCs and 5 TPs, which have thrown up a hung verdict.

The JD(S) lost majority in Arakalagud and Alur TPs in Hassan district, the party’s stronghold. In all, the JD(S) won 174 out of the 1,221 seats in the results declared yesterday. In K.R. Nagar, the Congress won 14 out of the 23 seats, while the JD(S) bagged eight seats and the BJP one. The Congress also swept the polls in Yelandur of Chamarajanagar district, winning 10 out of the 11 seats, while the BJP bagged just one seat.