BJP to have it tough in Council polls

The image-hit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka will face another litmus test when it faces the biennial elections to the Legislative Council from the local bodies. After the recent dissidence within the party, which badly humbled the ruling party, it has to prepare itself to save its face in the biennial elections to the 25 seats falling vacant in the upper house.

If this is the major concern for the BJP, of managing pressure groups within the party in allocating seats and bagging more seats than its chief opponent, the Congress, the position of the Congress party is in no way better as it has to struggle to maintain its upper hand in the Council. For the Congress, it is the question of survival and of retaining the official Opposition party status in the house. Whether the Congress and Janata Dal (S) will join hands to humble the BJP is also to be watched.

Among the 25 members retiring on January 5, 2010, 19 belong to the Congress. Four members of the BJP and one member of the Janata Dal (S) are among the rest retiring from the Council, while one seat is vacant following the demise of B T Channabasappa (JD-S). Apart from these, the Congress will also lose its three nominated members, whose term will expire on January 10, 2010. With the BJP at the helm, it would not miss the opportunity of naming its candidates for these three posts. Aspiring candidates, including those retiring from the House, have started lobbying for party tickets.

The calendar of events was formally announced here according to which elections will take place on December 18 for the 25 seats in the state. Nominations will be received till December 1, followed by scrutiny the next day. December 4 is the last date for withdrawals. The counting of votes will take place on December 21.

From Mysore local body constituency, comprising of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, two members B Chidananda and M Manjunath are retiring. The deputy commissioner, who is the returning officer announced the calendar of events to fill the two seats.

In the two districts, voters number 6,960, of whom, men make up 4,068 and women voters 2,892.

There will be 367 polling booths, 242 in Mysore district and 125 in Chamarajanagar district. The code of conduct will not be applicable for the election, says additional deputy commissioner C G Betsurmutt.

Those eligible to vote in the local body elections are members of the Mysore City Corporation, Chamarajanagar and Kollegal city municipalities, Nanjangud, Bannur, Hunsur, K R Nagar and Gundlupet town municipalities, T Narasipur, H D Kote, Periyapatna, Saragur, Yelandur and Hanur town panchayats, Mysore and Chamarajanagar zilla panchayats, seven taluk panchayats of Mysore district, four taluk panchayats of Chamarajanagar district, 234 gram panchayats of Mysore district, 120 gram panchayats of Chamarajanagar district, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members, MLAs, MLCs and nominated members.