JD(S) demands Kalaburagi Mayor post

Leaders say they will go with party – BJP or Congress – that is willing meet the condition

The race for capturing power in Kalaburagi City Corporation took a new turn on Wednesday with the Janata Dal (Secular), which has emerged “kingmaker” despite winning only four seats, demanding the Mayor’s post in the civic body. They have made this the pre-condition to support the BJP or the Congress, since both need their help to capture power in the civic body. The JD(S), in fact, did worse than it did in the last council, by winning four seats against seven last time around. All four members, along with the party’s local leader Nasir Hussein, met leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday and discussed the next course of action. “We want the Mayor’s post and we are persistent with our demand. We will go with anyone who supports us. Our leader has asked elected members of the party to be united and persistent,” Mr. Hussein told The Hindu over phone. Kedaralingaiah Hiremath, district president of JD(S), expressed a similar opinion.