Chikkanna is Mysore mayor

MYSORE: Congress corporator from Gangothri Layout T.B. Chikkanna and A.J. Arjunkumar from Narasimharaja Mohalla were elected as mayor and deputy mayor of the Mysore City Corporation respectively here on Thursday.
Chikkanna is the 18th mayor of Mysore city. So far, JD has occupied this chair for 12 times, whereas the Congress for five times.
In a straight fight, Chikkanna defeated Janata Dal(S) candidate D.Nagabhusan. While Chikkanna secured 38 votes, Nagbhusan scored 19 votes. BJP which has a 13-member strength in the council stayed away from the election indirectly facilitating an easy election of Congress candidate to the post.
In the deputy mayor''s election, JD(S) group which tasted a defeat in mayor''s election did not field the candidate making the election of Arjunkumar a unanimous choice.
Though the election of Congress corporator for the mayor and deputy mayor was a foregone conclusion with the defection of five independent and five BJP corporators to it, the Congress leaders feared a revolt in the corporators'' lot and JD(S) and BJP utilising it to their convenience.
Till the finalisation of candidate for the mayor''s post, the local leaders were anxious and tried hard to keep their flock of corporators together.
Bitter experience of a ZP member defecting to JD(S) to defeat the Congress candidate in the election to the post of president and vice-president last February made the Congress remain cautious and not take any chance.
On the other hand, the JD(S) leaders'' decision of not taking mayoral election seriously for two reasons -- first they lacked the numbers and secondly to avoid any kind of alliance with BJP to defeat Congress -- made the Congress leaders sail through.
But till the last moment, many in the political circles believed that there will be a revolt in the Congress if one from the independents who have joined Congress was not selected for the post.
Later, Chikkanna told reporters that his priority will be to provide Cauvery drinking water to all the parts of the city and develop revenue layouts on par with the MUDA and other layouts.