By Express News Service BENGALURU: AMID the high drama of MLA resignations, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) councillors from the coalition are now planning to resign. Out of 28 MLAs in Bengaluru, Ramalinga Reddy, ST Somashekar, Byrathi Basavaraju and Gopaliah who represent BTM Layout, Yeshwantpur, KR Puram and Mahalakshmi Layout constituencies have resigned. Following their resignations, councillors from these respective constituencies have also threatened to resign. According to reports, JDS MLA Gopaliah’s wife Hemalatha is on the list. However, former ruling party leader Shivaraj has denied all reports. “If they resign, it will be only four to five councillors. There will be a by-election after few months, and the BBMP council will not be dissolved,” he said. The present BBMP councillors’ term will end in 2020. At present, BJP has 125 voters including 101 councillors. If BBMP councillors from both the Congress and JDS resign along with 3 Congress MLAs and one JDS MLA, the number will tilt in favour of the BJP. There has to be 265 eligible voters to vote for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the BBMP. To win, 132 votes are needed. A senior BJP member who did not wish to reveal identity said, “The resignation of the four MLA and their councillors’ resignation will help us in electing our own Mayor and Deputy in September 2019.” Padmanabha Reddy, Opposition Party Leader, BBMP Council, said they will wait and watch. “Our leaders will take a decision soon,’’ he said.

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