Bengaluru: As expected, the second time corporator representing Devara Jeevanahalli (DJ Halli), Sampath Raj, and Rajagopalnagar corporator Padmathi Narasimha Murthy emerged victorious in the Mayoral polls held on Wednesday.
Sampath is the 51st Mayor and Padmavathi as the 50th Deputy Mayor.
Sampath was backed by Energy Minister D. K. Shivakumar and Bengaluru Development Minister K. J. George and was also handpicked by Chief Minister Siddaramiah. It was a smooth run for Sampath as he defeated his opponent Muniswamy of BJP representing Kadugodi ward by 139 votes. The election process began at 11.30 am.
Soon after filing of nominations, the opposition leader in the BBMP council, Padmanabha Reddy, said that although BJP has a majority with 101 seats in the BBMP, the Congress wielded the power through back door, with the help of bogus voters. The Congress does not have any moral right to contest the polls, he added.
He demanded that Regional Commissioner Jayanti should initiate action against them.
This led to an acrimonious situation with the BJP corporators, MLAs and MLCs jumped into the well demanding a fair election and prevent bogus voters from exercising their franchise.
They shouted slogans against Congress. Meanwhile, Congress leaders too shouted slogans against BJP.
