April 22: The BJP’s jinx of 20 years continued in the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) as it lost out to the JD(S) and Congress combine in the mayoral polls held on Thursday. Sandesh Swamy of the JD(S) and Pushpalatha backed by the Congress were elected mayor and deputy mayor respectively.

Mr Swamy won by a margin of seven votes, securing 37 votes in a House of 77. The BJP, led by MLAs Ramdas and Shankarlingegowda, staged a walkout protesting againt the polls when outgoing mayor Purushotham started the process at 11 am. Unlike in the 2008 and 2009 mayoral polls, the results were clear even before the voting began. BJP was staring at defeat after seven councillors, who had left the JD(S) to join it a while ago, returned to their parent party, leaving it in the lurch.

The BJP received a further setback when regional commissioner M.V. Jayanthi dismissed its petition against the seven councillors. The party was in more trouble after the urban development ministry directed outgoing mayor Purushotham to stop four councillors – Rukmini, Shivanna, Madesh, Cheluvegowda – from voting, if he found they had not signed the register during the election process.
Speaking to newsmen, a jubilant Swamy thanked the Congress for its support.