'We are sure BJP will win 104 seats in the BBMP'

On Monday, the composition of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will be known after the votes for the civic polls held on March 28 are counted.

The BBMP, being formed for the first time, will encompass 198 wards. The council, which will have the newly elected corporators, and members of Parliament, assembly and legislative council from Bangalore, will elect the mayor.

Exit polls have suggested that the BJP would be the single-largest party in the BBMP. BN Vijay Kumar, MLA and city BJP president, tells Sunitha Rao R that he is confident that his party will win at least 104 wards.

How many seats are you expecting to win in the BBMP polls?
The BJP is confident of holding the reins of the Palike. We are sure of winning 104 seats. In the BBMP council, we will need 126 seats (including those of the MPs, MLAs and MLCs) for a majority. We already have 32 seats through the elected MPs, MLAs, MLCs.

If you fail to win a simple majority, will the BJP resort to Operation Kamala? What are the options before you if you do not win a majority?
There will be no Operation Kamala. We are confident of winning the majority. There will be no need to seek support of the JD(S) or independent candidates. We have every reason to believe that Bangaloreans have supported the BJP in the BBMP elections.

Who are the likely mayoral candidates from your party?
We are yet to think about the mayoral candidates. First, let the counting get over and the results come.

What happens now to the Kasturirangan Committee report on the working of local self-government and administrative reforms?
We will try to implement the administrative reforms suggested in the Kasturirangan Committee’s report after the BBMP is formed. The committee has recommended institutionalisation of the ward committees, task forces, and advisory boards. Task forces, such as ABIDe, are essential for the development of the city.
 
The opposition parties allege that the state election commission is acting as an agent of the BJP. What do you have to say about this?
It is a baseless allegation. The SEC is an independent body. We wanted to postpone the elections by 15 days. Had the allegation been true, the SEC would have heeded our demand. The SEC has conducted the elections as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The state government has never interfered in the functioning of the SEC.

What are your goals for Bangalore?
We will focus on developmental activities and governance. Each ward must be a model. Corporators should not limit themselves to their wards. Corporators will also be given training on behavioural skills.