KALABURAGI: Despite emerging as the single largest party in the 55-member Kalaburgi Mahanagara Palike (KMP), the Congress fell short of four seats to secure a majority and come to power in the civic body. The Congress won 27 seats against BJP’s 23 in a neck-and-neck clash between the two national parties, while the Janata Dal Secular bagged four seats.
One seat was won by an Independent.
To win the mayoral polls, the candidates in fray will have to secure 31 votes of the winning corporators. Besides the elected corporators, two MLAs of Kalaburagi, local MLCs and MP Dr Umesh Jadhav and Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge also have voting rights.
Though having 27 seats, and counting the votes of Kalaburagi-North MLA Kaneez Fatima and Rajya Sabha member Kharge, the party will still fall short of two votes to win the mayoral elections. It remains to be seen how the party will be able to achieve the magic number ahead of the mayoral polls.
The BJP, with 23 council seats and the votes of MP Dr Umesh Jadhav, Kalaburagi (South) MLA Dattareya Patil Revoor and MLCs BG Patil and Shashil Namoshi, will still need four more votes to win the mayoral polls. Which side the JDS will support remains to be seen. The AAP, which fielded 26 candidates, and AIMIM, which put up 20 candidates, failed to open their accounts. Meanwhile, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, expressed confidence in the BJP coming to power.
“Voters have not given us a clear majority... but we will come to power as we have the support of local MLAs, MLCs and the MP and Independent members,” he added. Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda, who assured that he will discuss the issue with his party leaders. The Congress, however, is not giving up. Priyank Kharge said, “We will be one short of the magic number... We have won 27 seats and the JDS has four. If they support us, we will have 33 votes including one MLA and one MP.”