Mysuru: It appears as though the contest for the mayor’s post of the Mysuru City Corporation MCC ) council is likely to go down to the wire, with neither Congress nor the JD(S), which have forged a post-poll alliance to stake control of the urban local body, willing to relinquish their claim to the top post. The election to the mayor’s post is scheduled to be held on Saturday.The mood in the Congress camp is upbeat, and the party, after having bagged the support of four Independents, is confident of having the numbers to win the elections. Senior leaders of the JD(S) including ministers GT Devegowda SR Mahesh and former mayor MJ Ravikumar held a meeting on Thursday to discuss the upcoming elections. Party member KS Rangappa and JD(S) Mysuru city unit president KT Cheluvegowda were among the other leaders present at the meeting.“Devegowda informed those present at the meeting that chief minister HD Kumaraswamy would take a decision on the mayor’s and deputy mayor’s positions. He told us that the conclusions arrived at the meeting would be communicated to Kumaraswamy on Friday,” said a senior JD(S) leader.Pointing to BJP’s willingness to extend its support in the council, JD(S) corporators urged the city leaders to exert pressure on Kumaraswamy to ensure the party would retain the mayor’s post. “Under the JD(S), the party has witnessed tremendous growth in the past five years. JD(S) must not hesitate to bargain hard since BJP is willing to extend us support,” the corporators told the senior leaders.A delegation of JD(S) legislators from Mysuru led by tourism minister Mahesh is expected to meet the CM in Bengaluru on Friday.Samiulla, Pailvan Shrinivas and Shiva Kumar, who won the MCC elections as Independents with the support of rebel JD(S) leader K Harish Gowda, have reportedly agreed to support the Congress in the mayoral elections. “Samiulla joined Congress in Siddaramaiah’s presence in Bengaluru on Thursday. Shrinivas and Kumar will also support our party, besides which we are expecting another Independent to back Congress’ mayoral candidate,” said a source in the Congress party.Mysuru Congress district leaders and corporators too held a meeting on Thursday, which was presided over by the party’s Mysuru city unit president R Murthy. The primary objective of the meeting was to finalise the nominees for the mayor and deputy mayor’s post.Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah’s arrival in Mysuru on Thursday evening has reinvigorated the party members and corporators. Soon after his arrival in the city, Siddaramaiah met the party corporators and discussed the upcoming elections. “Siddaramaih will take a final call on the party’s mayoral candidate. He will not be in Mysuru on Saturday,” said a source in the Congress.

Stay updated with all the Latest Mysore headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.