BJP keeps ahead in Karnataka Civic polls despite Bharat Jodo, Mekedatu padyatras

Bengaluru: Despite getting positive coverage in the media, Mekedatu Padyatara and Bharat Jodo Yatra have not brought cheers into Karnataka Congress camp as the principal opposition party slipped to second position, next to BJP, in civic polls conducted in some parts of the state.
The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the elections to Vijayapura City Corporation by winning 17 of 35 seats, and bagging six out of seven seats in Kollegal Town Municipality bypolls. It also won the Savanur Town Panchayat elections in the northern part of the state.
The pounding Congress has received in Kollegal elections is a major cause of worry for the party as it had launched the Mekedatu Padayatra to woo the people of Bengaluru along with consolidate Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah’s hold in Mysuru region. The project borders Chamarajanagar and Ramanagar districts, which falls in Mysuru region.
After Mekedatu Padyatra, the Bharat Jodo Yatra had entered Karnataka at Gundlupet near Mysuru on September 30 and passed through Mysuru city and Ramanagara district, before moving to other districts of the state.
On the face of these election results, the magic of these two yatras have not worked wonders for the Congress. If it could have been so, these yatras could have been celebrated even more.
For the ruling BJP, these results are a major morale booster for Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s government, which has been cornered by PayCM and SayCM campaigns launched by Congress.
Elated with the poll outcome, Bommai said it is a precursor to the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka. “This is the indicator for the blooming of lotus all over the state in the 2023 assembly elections,” he said in a tweet.
Bommai lauded Vijayapura city MLA and former union minister in AB Vajpayee’s cabinet Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Kollegal MLA N Mahesh and party workers of Shiggaon assembly segment.
According to election officials, the Congress bagged 10 seats, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) two and JDS one, while five Independents won also in Vijayapura in north Karnataka.
The municipal elections in Vijayapura and Kollegal were held on October 28 and the results were announced today.
Vijayapura corporation held its first elections after the upgradation of city municipality. The BJP is upbeat of getting the support of Independents to gain power.
The by-polls in Kollegal in Chamarajanagar district was necessitated after seven Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) councillors joined the BJP along with their patron and legislator N Mahesh.
Mahesh was expelled from BSP after he, along with a few others from the Congress and JDS helped BJP come to power in Karnataka.
(BD Naraayannkar-UNI)