With the announcement of reservation for the post of president and vice-president posts of the zilla panchayats being made, both Congress and the ruling BJP are making all-out efforts for a go at power in the second term in Koppal Zilla Panchayat.
The term of president Mrs Jyothi Nagaraj Bilgar and vice-president Mrs Seetha Gulappa Halageri ends this month. In the house of 27 members, the BJP has 14 seats, Congress nine while the JD(S) has four. Mrs Jyothi Bilgar of BJP got the president’s post in the first term while Mrs Seetha Gulappa Halageri of Congress was chosen vice-president.
The BJP which came to power for the first time in Koppal Zilla Panchayat ever since it was carved out as a separate district, is unlikely to retain power for the second term owing to bickering among party members. Mrs Bilgar herself had a turbulent tenure with her own party members moving a no-confidence motion against her and not co-operating in the functioning of the zilla panchayat.
The election of a new president and vice-president for the second term will be held on September 28. According to sources, Mrs Bilgar, who faced hurdles all through her term, is set to extract her pound of flesh by joining hands with Congress and JD(S) members. With the magic numbers at 14 in the ZP, four JD(S) members and three supporters of BJP MLA Karadi Sanganna have extended their support to Congress, which has nine members. With Mrs Bilgar also extending her support to Congress, the party is expected to make a clean sweep in the second term. Congress member Janardhan is said to be the front-runner for the post of ZP president’s post. According to reliable sources, Congress members along with JD(S) members and Mrs Bilgar are said to have been holed up in a resort in Hyderabad to keep the flock together.