DAVANAGERE: The Davanagere City Corporation has ended up with hung house after the election as no party won a clear majority to assume the power of the 45-member house. The Congress has a shortfall of only one seat to retain power as it has won 22 seats. The magic number is 23.
While BJP has managed to win in 17 wards, JDS in one ward while independents won in five wards. While Congress has emerged as the single largest party, it is likely to retain power if a rebel candidate agrees to support the party. To retain the mayor post, Congress needs 25 votes. MLAs and MP can also vote to choose the mayor. When it comes to the number, Congress has 22 votes of its corporators and two MLAs. In total, the Congress' number reaches 24. Congress will have 25 votes if the rebel corporator supports the party. Two rebels each were won from BJP and Congress.
The BJP, the second-largest party which has won in 17 wards, will have a total number of 19 votes including the votes of MLA and MP. There appears to be more chance for the Congress to retain the mayor's post. A total of 208 candidates were fielded and the election was held in 377 polling booths.
The election threw open the door of family politics as many close relatives of politicians have won in many wards. Congress candidate J N Shreenivas and his wife Shwetha Shreenivas have won in ward number 28 and 37 respectively. BJP district president Yashavanthrao Jadhav's son Rakesh Jadhav has won from ward number 10. The 26-year-old Rakesh, who completed BBM, is the youngest corporator. Yashavanth Rao's sister Gayathri Khandojirao also won in ward number 8. MLA S A Ravindranath's daughter and BJP candidate Veena Nanjappa has also emerged victorious from ward number 40.
Among those who were defeated include former minister and Congress leader S S Mallikarjun's supporter Dinesh K Shetty, former BJP MLA Guru Siddanagouda's daughter-law Preethi Ravikumar who contested as BJP rebel candidate, Congress' Malatesh Jadhav and BJP rebel candidate Rajashekhar.