Mysuru polls: Siddaramaiah exacts revenge on GT Devegowda

Mysuru: Pushpalatha Jagannath of Congress was elected as the mayor of Mysuru city corporation giving Siddaramaiah an upper hand against JD(S) leader GT Devegowda. JD(S) candidate Shifa Ahmed became the deputy mayor.

Former chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah and JD(S) MLA GT Deve Gowda contested from Chamundeshwari constituency in the Assembly elections held in May, this year. Devegowda defeated Siddaramaiah and since then the cold war between the two is said to have intensified.

So, during the mayor polls in Mysuru too, both the leaders tried to display their strength. GT Devegowda had suggested the names of K Bhagya Madesh and Prema Shankaregowda for the reserved post of mayor.

Siddaramaiah batted for Pushpalatha Jagannath.

The mysuru city corporation has 65 corporators. The simple majority being 33, which no party attained. BJP emerged as the single largest party with 22 seats, Congress won 19 and JD (S) secured 18 seats. Apart from these parties, one corporator is from BSP and there are five independents.

Thus again, without any other option, JD(S) and Congress formed a coalition. Thus, they had to elect the mayor from either Congress or JD(S).

However, a problem soon arose as another prominent leader of the JD(S) SR Mahesh proposed the names of Ashwini Ananth, Rukmini Madegowda and Laksmi Shivanna.

Here is where GT Devegowda lost his battle.

JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda had to take the decision. Choosing any candidate either from SR Mahesh's camp or GT Devegowda's camp will lead to disappointment between the party members.

Thus Deve Gowda took the less travelled path and offered the mayoral position to Congress. As there was no opposition for Siddaramaiah backed candidate Pushpalatha Jagannath. She was elected as the mayor, and Siddaramaiah had his chance to get back at GT Devegowda.

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