From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 30: For the third time in the last four months, elections to the 12 Standing Committees of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) scheduled to be held on Monday had to be put off.

Strangely, this time round there were no nomination papers and therefore elections could not be held.

"There is a three day state mourning in the state as a mark of respect to the deceased Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math. All corporators have voluntarily not participated in the elections," said Muneendra Kumar, ruling party leader of BJP in BBMP.

However, sources say at least 15 corporators from Congress and JD(S), supporters of rebel MLAs who resigned to join BJP and have now crossed over to BJP helping the party capture power in the corporation, have demanded chairmanship of four standing committees that BJP is not ready to part with.

This tussle for posts of chairmanship to the standing committees is said to be bone of contention.

The dispute is yet to be resolved by senior leaders of the party and hence the party has repeatedly boycotted standing committee elections, sources said.

The last time elections were scheduled was on December 4, a day before by-elections to 15 assembly seats in the state.

With BJP leaders being preoccupied with by-elections, they had no time to sort out the issues in BBMP and hence standing committee elections were boycotted.

A meeting of senior BJP leaders over the issue was scheduled for Saturday evening, when the health of Pejawar seer deteriorated and all senior leaders rushed to Udupi and the meeting was cancelled.

"The next elections will be scheduled in another 15 days and this time we will ensure elections are held," said Muneendra Kumar.

It remains to be seen if elections will be finally held in January 2020.