BJP Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagar Zilla unit president Sanjay Kapatkar has said that Congress leaders are trying to lure BJP councillors to grab power in the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, ahead of the Mayoral elections scheduled for June 20.
Addressing presspersons along with Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Iresh Anchatageri in Hubballi on Thursday, he said that although the BJP has a clear majority in the municipal corporation, the Congress leaders are adopting illegal means to come to power by luring Opposition councillors and Independent members.
Mr. Kapatkar said that the Congress leaders have already approached Deputy Mayor Uma Mukund, BJP councillor Suresh Bendre, Independent councillor Chandrika Mestri and others trying to win them over.
“A few of them have been offered money up to ₹50 lakh. The Opposition leader in the municipal corporation has been calling the BJP councillors with offers,” he added.
But the Congress leaders have failed to understand that the BJP councillors cannot be lured with such offers, he said and added that the BJP has a strength of 48, including legislators, which is enough to retain power in the corporation council.
“All the BJP councillors are united. We also know about political strategies and already, three Congress councillors are in touch with us,” he said.
Party strength
In the 82-member municipal council, the BJP has 39 seats, the Congress 33, AIMIM three, the Janata Dal(S) one, while there are six Independents.
BJP rebel candidate Durgamma Bijwad who got elected as an Independent joined the BJP after the results were declared.
And, in the run-up to the Mayor’s election in 2022, two more Independents, Kishan Belagavi and Chandrika Mestri, joined the BJP, taking the party’s tally to 42.
As per law, MLAs, MLCs and MP have voting rights during the Mayoral elections.
At present, the BJP is in power and the Mayoral elections are scheduled to take place on Tuesday. The Mayor’s post has been reserved for woman (general) and the Deputy Mayor’s post for general category candidates.
