Hubballi, July 4 -- In a significant political boost for the BJP in Karnataka, the party on Saturday retained control of the politically important Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), comfortably winning both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts and handing the ruling Congress a setback in one of north Karnataka's key urban centres.
The BJP's Durugamma Bizawada was elected Mayor, while Ratnabhai Nazare was chosen Deputy Mayor after both candidates secured 50 votes in the elections held at the HDMC council hall.
The Congress nominees, Kavita Kabbir for Mayor and Dilshad Begum Nadaf for Deputy Mayor, polled 35 votes each, while AIMIM candidate Waheeda Khanam Kittur secured three votes in the Deputy Mayor's contest.
The outcome enable...