The elections were held on September 3 and the results were declared on Monday. (Representative)
Bangalore:
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka received a shot at the three municipal elections by securing a clear majority in Belagavi, emerging as the single largest party in Hubli-Dharwad and a close second in Kalaburagi.
In the Doddaballapur Municipal Council election in Bengaluru Rural district, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, while the Congress got an absolute majority in the Tarikere Municipal Council in Chikkamagaluru district.
An upbeat Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who in a ‘sample test’ termed the election results as a clean sweep in favor of his month-old government, said the BJP would come to power in all the three municipal corporations.
The elections were held on September 3 and the results were declared on Monday.
According to Karnataka State Election Commission officials, in Belagavi of 58 seats, BJP has won 35, Congress 10, Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) another 12 Independents.
In the 82-seat Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, BJP has won 39 seats, Congress 33, AIMIM 3, JD(S) 1, Independents 6 seats.
In Kalaburagi Municipal Corporation, elections were held for 55 seats, out of which Congress won 27, BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and Independents won one seat.
In the 31-seat Doddaballapura CMC in Bengaluru Rural district city, the BJP won 12 seats, the Congress 9, the JD(S) 7 and three Independents.
In Tarikere TMC in Chikkamagaluru, the Congress won 15 seats, seven independents and the BJP one.
Speaking to reporters, an enthusiastic Mr. Bommai said, “It was almost like a sample test a month after I took over the office. Out of three, we got a clear majority in two municipal corporations and in the third also we got close. We are in the race but we are going to make a majority there too.”
He said that all the three corporations will have BJP mayors.
Mr Bommai congratulated the BJP ministers, MLAs and leaders who worked hard for the elections in Belagavi.
The chief minister said, “For the first time in history, BJP has majority and we will have our own mayor. MES would have controlled it otherwise.”
He said that this is a good sign for the government as well as Karnataka.
Mr Bommai said that Hubli-Dharwad has been BJP’s fortress for a long time, while the party is breaking ground in Kalaburgi.
“This is a clean sweep and a defeat for the Congress. It also shows that people have faith in the new government,” Bommai said.
A BJP insider claimed that as per the indications given by Mr Bommai, the BJP, JD(S) and an independent may join hands in Kalaburgi. He also did not rule out the possibility of a separate Congress group emerging to support the BJP.
However, JD(S) state president HK Kumaraswamy said the issue of alliance with anyone has not been discussed in the party yet and only senior JD(S) people will discuss and decide.
BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel thanked the voters for showing faith in the BJP government in Karnataka.
The party’s state president said, “People have reposed faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and have increased our responsibility.”
Speaking about Belagavi where BJP came to power for the first time, Mr. Kateel said that independents were in power due to various factors.
“For the first time, people have chosen the BJP and have welcomed the nationalist ideology and achievements of the BJP government,” Kateel told reporters.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said his party Congress had never expected the current result in Belagavi, where the Congress won only 10 seats while the BJP got a majority. Regarding Hubli-Dharwad, he said that Congress was expecting more seats.
According to him, local body elections are influenced by local factors and it does not indicate the results of upcoming local body elections at other places.
Siddaramaiah told reporters that these elections were not influenced by state or national issues.
He said that BJP got majority in Belagavi and Congress in Kalaburagi.
Pointing out that no one got a majority in other corporations, the Congress veteran said, “This is not a defeat for the Congress, but a warning to the BJP.”
He also rejected BJP’s claim that it was its victory.
“Nalin Kumar Kateel is under the illusion that people have supported the BJP. This is completely absurd.
BJP has not won majority in any corporation except Belagavi and whatever they have got is because of their money, muscle power and political power,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.
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