BJP Future - 7

[Guest]

BJP fortifies itself, crushes Opp in Bangalore civic polls

pioneer.com

Kestur Vasuki | Bangalore

Yeddyurappa ends 50 years of Cong dominance

It is another feather in Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s cap. For the first time in the State’s political history, the BJP has ended five decades of Congress dominance and captured the prestigious Bangalore Corporation and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).



The State went to polls on March 28 and about 46 per cent of the city’s 6.6 million voters turned up to cast their ballots for electing 198 representatives from over 1,300 candidates to run the Greater Bangalore City Corporation.



The result is seen as a personal victory for Yeddyurappa and has given him a boost to fight his critics both inside and outside the party. The demolition of the JD(S) is a major blow to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, who had launched a vicious campaign against the State Government on the issue of Bangalore and Mysore road project. The result is also a blow to a handful of BJP dissidents and has sent out a strong message that Yeddyurappa was the undisputed leader of the party in Karnataka.



Of the 198 BBMP seats, the BJP won 112 seats, followed by the Congress’ 64 seats and 15 by the JD(S) and seven independents. In addition to the 198 corporators, 52 elected members — MPs, MLAs and MLCs — have voting rights in the mayoral polls. The BJP has 31 of these 52 members, including 17 MLAs in the BBMP jurisdiction. The Congress has 10 MLAs and the JD(S) one.



Talking to the media in Bangalore, a jubilant Yeddyurappa said Bangaloreans voted the BJP because of the State Government’s good work. He said the BJP capturing the BBMP was a “fitting reply” to the Opposition Congress and JD(S), adding that the verdict has “silenced critics”

Gowda lost money making machine. Sad day for Congress and Gowda