The results of the Kalaburagi City Corporation election, which were declared on Monday, threw up a fractured mandate where no party has won enough number of seats to secure an overall majority to form the council.
Of the 55 seats in the city corporation, the Congress has won 27 and the BJP 23, relegating the Janata Dal (Secular) to the third position with four seats. While an Independent candidate backed by the BJP has also won.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Communist Party of India (CPI) failed to bag even a single seat. Any party winning 28 seats would be able to form the council and occupy the Mayoral seat.
A majority requires a party to win more than 50% of seats to form the council. The Congress, which has won 27 seats, can increase the number to 29 seats with one each Rajya Sabha member and MLA.
While the BJP won 23 seats, it can take its tally to 30 by adding the Independent candidate, three MLCs, two MLAs and one MP.
The possibility is that the party which gains the support of the Janata Dal(S) candidates will form the council.
Those who won the elections for the second and third term in a row are the former Mayor Syed Ahmed, Ali Khan, Putali Begum, Lata Rathod, Vishal Dhargi and Prabhuling Hadimani.
Both the BJP and the Congress leaders exuded the confidence of their respective parties forming the council. Large and Medium Industries and district in-charge Minister Murugesh Nirani said that the BJP will grab power for the first time in the city corporation with the required number of MLAs and MLCs. The independent councillor has already extended his support to the BJP, he added.
