While Gunashekar and Reddy are fighting for the post, first-time corporator T Mallesh has the support of Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao.
While the ruling BJP finally succeeded in sorting out its internal squabbles in choosing the new mayor and deputy mayor, the main opposition party, Congress, is still struggling to name the leader of the opposition in the BBMP Council.
The tussle for the post has been raging for the past two months in the Congress camp. There are too many contenders for the post and the party’s consensus candidate is yet to be named even as the Palike’s budget session is approaching.
There are three contenders for the post — BN Manjunath Reddy representing Madiwala ward, T Mallesh representing Subhash Nagar ward and MK Gunashekar representing Jayamahal ward.
According to sources, the party had decided to elect Gunashekar as its floor leader. Gunashekar is well versed with the KMC Act 1976 on which the BBMC proceedings are conducted. He has also the backing of Shivajinagar MLA Roshan Baig.
But BTM Layout MLA Ramalinga Reddy is pressuring the party high command to give the post to BN Manjunath Reddy.
While Gunashekar and Reddy are fighting for the post, first-time corporator T Mallesh has the support of Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Mallesh came to limelight when he revealed an irregularity related to acquisition of 4.3 acres of land by Mantri Square Mall. A schedule caste candidate, Mallesh has the support of Nanjangud MLA V Srinivas Prasad who is playing the caste card. Prasad has requested the party president G Parameshwar to bestow the opposition leader’s post to a schedule caste or scheduled tribe candidate.
Gundu Rao has his logic while favouring Mallesh. He says that for the first term of the BBMP, the party had appointed Nandini Layout corporator M Nagaraj from the backward community as the opposition leader. For the second term, it appointed M Udayshankar from the general category. For the third term, the party should pick an SC/ST corporator.
Parameshwar is said to be confused on whether to consider seniority, ability or caste as the yardstick for choosing the opposition leader.
Sources say the party is delaying the announcement of the leader. According to them, the name will be disclosed only after the felicitation of Gundu Rao for his appointment as the president of the Bangalore urban district Congress committee.
“Gundu Rao does not want any trouble during the felicitation function,” they say.
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