Bangalore gets a new boss today

Bangalore finally gets a new mayor today. After a 1,246-day wait, decks have been cleared for the election of the 44th mayor of the city on Friday.

The state high court, which heard a PIL against the election, declined to interfere with the process. SK Natraj, the corporator from Bangalore’s Sarakki ward, is most likely to be the city’s new top boss. Fifty-two-year-old Natraj, a resident of JP Nagar, belongs to the Reddy Okkaliga community. His name for the top post is being pushed by Bangalore city-in-charge minister R Ashok and city BJP chief BN Vijaykumar.

There is intense lobbying happening for the deputy mayor’s post. According to party sources, Dayananad from Benniganahalli is the favourite for the post.

On Thursday night, BJP’s core committee held a meeting to decide the names for the top two posts of the city. Natraj and Dayanand’s names for the mayor and deputy mayor’s post were selected unanimously. The party leadership will announce the names officially on Friday, half an hour before the election. The election process will start at 8am and end by 3pm.

After the candidates file their nominations for the post, the new council’s 198 corporators will take oath in batches. The election for the mayor and deputy mayor’s post will be held immediately after that.

JD(S) has decided not to field any candidate from the party for the mayor’s post. The Congress too is not fielding a candidate against BJP, which has a clear majority.