Janata Dal (Secular) candidate Nagesh was elected president of the Mandya City Municipal Council while the BJP candidate Arun Kumar was elected vice president in the elections held on Wednesday.
The BJP and the JD(S) have continued their alliance forged in the run-up to the Parliamentary elections, and it has paid dividends in the local body polls as well. There are 35 members in the Mandya CMC and in addition to this, local MLA Ravi Kumar and Mandya MP H.D. Kumaraswamy were eligible to exercise their franchise taking the total number of votes to 37.
Early in the day, there was tension and war of words between the supporters of the Congress and the JD(S) whose members were prevented from entering the CMC premises in the vehicle.
Later, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that Mr. Ravikumar tried to instigate the JD(S) members to cross-vote but was not successful. However, the Congress has accused the JD(S) of abducting one of their members.
