The past week was abuzz with excitement, with citizens of Bengaluru wondering which party would finally take over the reins of the BBMP council. Most exit polls claimed that Congress had the upper-hand. When results were finally announced on August 25th, it became evident that the BJP would be at the helm of city affairs yet again. The party took the lead with a simple majority of 100 seats. Congress trailed them with 76 seats, followed by JDS with 14 seats, and Others (Independent candidates + other parties) with 8 seats. In an interesting twist, the number of women candidates who made it to the council, outnumber the men, 101 to 97.

Cick here to view the results of the BBMP elections.

Celebrations at the BJP party office in Bengaluru. Pic: twitter.com/bjpkarnataka

Also read:

Which ward saw the lowest voter turnout in BBMP election 2015?

• Which party won which ward?
• BBMP elections 2015: A nine-day farcical festival!
• 23 candidates endorsed by B.PAC get elected to the city council
• Namma Bengaluru Foundation to periodically track the performance of seven elected corporators
• He searched for his booth for three hours, and finally managed to vote!

In the days to come, look out for our continued coverage of the BBMP elections. Our Election Dashboard will continue to remain your one-stop for all relevant info. We will be updating the zone and ward pages with details about your corporator. Also look out for our next set of stories – what happens once the corporators are sworn in, what next for you as a citizen, how you can interact with your corporator and more.

If you have found our coverage of the BBMP Elections useful, and would like to support our journalism, do consider making a donation to Oorvani Foundation. Your contribution will ensure that we continue our deep-diving reporting on governance, environment, health, education, civic news, citizen action and much more. Click here to find out how you can pitch in.

We would also love to hear your feedback about our Special Election coverage – what you liked, what you didn’t and what you’d like to see more of. Send us a mail to share your feedback.

In other news…

• Now that the BBMP elections are over, lobbying has begun for the posts of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. This time, the post of the Mayor is reserved for the general category, and that of the Deputy Mayor, for the General (Women) category.
• BBMP has provided a helpline for people who need information or help with regard to Dengue and Chikungunya cases. Here are the numbers – 080 2266 0000 and 080 2222 1188.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an ‘e-visit’ to the Cubbon Park police station on Wednesday. The police station is one of three in the country chosen for the implementation of smart policing under the government’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) initiative.
• The city police, who had carried out ‘Operation Smile’ earlier this month to rescue children from begging, are now trying to trace the identities of 63 children. Of the 263 rescued children, 200 were handed over to their biological parents.
• Six people including a Karnataka MLA, Venkatesh Nayak, were killed in a train accident at Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The Bangalore-Nanded Express was on its way from Bengaluru to Nanded in Maharashtra, when a speeding truck rammed into it.

Food for thought

Our intern Holly Thorpe writes about her gastronomical adventures in Bengaluru. She talks not just about the food, but also the practices surrounding it, and says that they are a reminder to stay grounded. Read: Humble pie: An American palate adjusts to food culture in India.

From the archives

Prof Venkatasubbiah turned 102 on August 23rd. Pic: Sriram Vittalamurthy

August 23rd marked the 102nd birthday of Professor G Venkatasubbiah, Kannada’s foremost lexicographer,  who is still active in the literary field. Here’s an interview we did with him two years back. Read: The grand old man of Kannada.

Events this week

• The next few days are surely a treat for movie buffs. Many excellent films from world over are being screened across the city.  
• Israeli Film Festival, ending August 27th at Bangalore International Centre, Suchitra Film Society and Alliance Francaise
• An Ordinary Election, Documentary, Everest Talkies on August 27th
• Le Mépris, French film, Alliance Francaise on August 27th  
• Bengaluru International Short Film Festival,  Suchitra Film Society, August 28th to 30th
• Watch Bangalore Little Theatre’s adaptation of Eugene Ionesco’s French absurd classic, Rhinoceros at
• Alliance Francaise. The play will be staged on August 28th, 29th and 30th at 3.30 pm and 7pm.
• Make your way to UB City on August 29th and 30th for Art Bangalore, a festival that celebrates art in its myriad forms. The theme for this year is Paradigm Shift.
• Did you know that Antakshari is adapted from Pratimala, a game where people would exchange Sanskrit verses from old classics? Make your way to Aksharam in Girinagar on August 30th to watch Pratimala, A Sanskrit Antyakshari.
• Tap your feet to Heartbreak Hotel, a performance that fuses dance, live music and art into a story that shares the secrets of every man and woman. This will be staged at Alliance Francaise on September 2nd and 3rd.

Click here for the complete list of events in Bengaluru.

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