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BJP`s Gowtham Kumar becomes new Mayor of Bengaluru, beats Sathyanarayana of Congress by 112 votes
BJP corporator from Jogupalya, Gowtham Kumar, has been elected as the Mayor of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Kumar defeated his Congress rival R Sathyanarayana by 17 votes to become the Mayor of Bengaluru.
BENGALURU: BJP corporator from Jogupalya, Gautam Kumar, has been elected as the Mayor of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Kumar defeated his Congress rival R Sathyanarayana by 17 votes to become the Mayor of Bengaluru.
Kumar will succeed Congress leader Gangambike Mallikarjun. The win is significant because this is the first time in four years that the BJP has won the post. It is to be noted that the BJP, which is currently in power in the state, had a tough time finalising the name of their mayoral candidate because BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa were supporting different corporators. Sources said that Kateel wanted Muneendra Kumar, a north Bengaluru corporator, as the mayor, while the chief minister was in support of Padmanabha Reddy for the prestigious post.
The ongoing tussle between Kateel and Yeduyirappa helped Kumar as he emerged as the consensus candidate during the meeting held on Monday. Kumar belongs to the minority Jain community and he is believed to be a close aide of Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan.