Congress legislators meet to discuss BBMP poll preparation, Brand Bengaluru

Amidst the recent poll debacle in Bengaluru for the Congress, the party appears to be treading a cautious path by launching preparation well in advance for the polls to the BBMP council, the date for which is yet to be decided.

Amidst the recent poll debacle in Bengaluru for the Congress, the party appears to be treading a cautious path by launching preparation well in advance for the polls to the BBMP council, the date for which is yet to be decided.

On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar led a delegation of Congress legislators to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss preparation for the BBMP polls. The poll debacle of the Congress in the three Lok Sabha seats in Bengaluru was also reviewed, especially of the Bengaluru Central, party sources said. Discussions were also held on creating Brand Bengaluru, among other issues, sources said.

Though the date for the BBMP polls is not yet decided owing to multiple factors, the preparations for the polls was discussed among the Congress legislators. Sources said that the government is yet to decide on the division of Bengaluru, and that there is no clarity on the number of councils after the division. Besides, the party is also keen on the clarity for OBC quota in the local bodies. “Unless there is clarity on division and OBC quota, the date for the BBMP polls cannot be decided. The party wants to derive maximum results in the BBMP polls since it has been nearly four years since the council’s term has come to an end.”

Among others, Ministers Ramalinga Reddy, K.J. George and B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Chief Minister’s Political Secretaries Nazeer Ahmed and Govindaraju, besides legislators U.B. Venkatesh, Rizwan Arshad, U.B. Venkatesh and Krishnappa, were present.