Mysuru: A Congress-BJP alliance, as strange as it may sound, was formed at Hanur town panchayat in Chamarajanagar district, in the elections held for the post of president and vice-president on Saturday, in order to keep the JD(S) out of power in the local body.
The BJP’s Chandramma was elected as president, and the Congress’s Harishkumar was elected as vice-president. Local Congress MLA R Narendra supported the BJP candidate to become president, while former Union minister and Chamarajanagar MP V Srinivas Prasad, supported the Congress candidate to become vice-president.
In the last town panchayat polls held for 13 wards, the local body received a hung verdict, with no party having a clear majority. A total six members were elected from the JD(S), four from the Congress and three from the BJP. With the death of a BJP candidate, the total strength reduced to 12 in the town panchayat. Mamtaj Banu and V Anandkumar, who are from the JD(S), contested for the post of president and vice-president, but lost. V Srinivasprasad said his party entered into an alliance with the Congress only at the local level, for the development of the town. MLA Narendra said that his party was extended support by the BJP, as their goal was the same, which is to develop the town.