Mayoral Polls tomorrow

Mysuru/Mysore:  With the Mayoral polls just a day away (Jan.18), the suspense continues on who the next Mayor of the city will be.

Meanwhile it is said that, with the Mayor post reserved for BC-A (Backward Class) woman, the JD(S) has finalised the name of Ward No.26 (Meena Bazaar) Corporator Tasleem, while the Congress, which is going to get the Deputy Mayor post as per an understanding reached between the coalition partners, has shortlisted the name of Ward No.38 (Giriyabovipalya) Corporator C. Sridhar. The Deputy Mayor post has been reserved for SC candidate.

There are four aspirants in the JD(S)- Tasleem, Ward No.17 Corporator Reshma Banu, Ward No.22 Corporator Namratha Ramesh and Ward No.45 Corporator K. Nirmala. Although the contest had narrowed down between Namratha and Nirmala, in an overnight development, Tasleem has become the frontrunner for the post, with the JD(S) rewarding her for her work in the ward and organisation of the party at the grass-root level, it is learnt. As far as the Deputy Mayor’s post is concerned, the Congress is said to have decided on C. Sridhar after consultation with former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and other top party leaders of Mysuru.

In the meantime, the JD(S) and Congress which are the ruling partners in the MCC, have moved their Corporators to separate resorts, fearing that the BJP would resort to ‘Operation Lotus’ at the last minute for poaching Corporators of the ruling combine. While the JD(S) moved its Corporators to a resort on KRS Road yesterday itself, the Congress shifted its Corporators to another resort in the outskirts of city this afternoon, according to sources.

The BJP, which is the single largest party in the MCC, has 21 Corporators, followed by Congress-19, JD(S)-18, BSP-1 and independents 5, in the 65 member body, with one seat becoming vacant following the disqualification of BJP Corporator Guru Vinayak of Ward No.18.