JD(S)-Congress to continue alliance to civic bodies

Bengaluru: A JD(S) official said that in order to keep the Opposition BJP out of power, the ruling Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress in Karnataka will be extending their coalition alliance to the urban local bodies (ULBs) polls across the state.

“In the event of either party not getting majority on its own in the ULB elections, we will have post-poll alliance to rule the local bodies as we did to form the coalition government in the state after the May 12 assembly election threw a hung House with a split verdict,” informed a JD(S) official on Saturday.

On Friday, elections were held for 105 ULBs, including three city corporations across the southern state, with a record 68% voter turnout. Counting is on Monday from 8 am and results are expected to be declared by night as electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used for polling.

“Though we are hoping to secure majority in city, town and panchayat wards in our strongholds, especially in the old Mysuru region, we are ready to take the support of the Congress to run the local bodies with majority,” added the official.

As per the State Election Commission (SEC), polling was held in 2,662 civic wards spanning 29 city municipalities, 53 town municipalities, 23 town panchayats and 135 wards at Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru city corporations.

In all, 8,340 candidates, including 2,306 from the Congress, 2,203 from the BJP and 1,397 from the JD(S) contested in the ULBs, while 814 did in three city corporations, including 135 from Congress, 130 from BJP and 129 from JD(S), with the remaining as Independents.

“Though the coordination committee of the alliance partners discussed the prospects of post-poll tie-up in ULBs, a decision to that effect will be taken after all the results of the wards are declared by Monday night,” informed a Congress official.