Bengaluru: Development Mantra: Personal Charismatic 'Sutra'

Bengaluru: Infrastructure is the talk of the fields of hat-trick heroes too

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

BENGALURU: If any party wants to take the helm of power in the state, how much they have achieved in the 28 constituencies of the capital is crucial. Things like religion and caste have little influence on the voters here. Although the mantra of development is the source of vote politics here, the personal charisma of the party and the candidate touch the bank of victory. That is why MLAs who have scored a hat-trick of victories in the last three elections have increased here.

Congress and BJP are fighting hard in three elections. In 2008, BJP won 17 seats. In the next two elections, both the national parties are keeping their winning numbers difference is within two-three seats. JDS has not achieved anything beyond one or two seats. The 'Soil Children Party' is somehow not good for the city dwellers.

After the delimitation in 2008, hundreds of villages came under the city limits. It was imperative to start the infrastructure from scratch. Since then infrastructure and development works have been prioritised as electoral politics. Roads, drains, water, drainage, smooth traffic, public transport... these became the main priorities of the city. These have continued to plague people for decades. The problems have not been solved because the city has not grown in a planned way and the ruling governments have not made a plan in time to meet the demands of the people and have not given grants. These are becoming important issues in every assembly election. Politicians are climbing to the shore of victory by promising to solve them if they win.

Today's prestigious BDA's Jayanagar, J.P. Nagar in Bangalore, people did not buy plots and remained vacant. To sell them around 2000, the then Chief Minister S.M. Krishna had made many plans. The real estate industry that grew up later today spans around 50 km of Bangalore and beyond. However, infrastructure is not available. This is due to unplanned implementation of layouts. Today, there are a lot of problems in the layouts developed by the government departments like the Bangalore Development Authority. There are also many problems like lake and Rajkaluve encroachment. All these are important promises and debates in the elections even today. 'Master Plan' will enter the arena of elections.

Chief Minister in charge: 

Except for one period since 1999, the capital Bangalore has been kept under the charge of the chief minister. While this has done good in a way, it has also set back a lot of emergency enforcement plans. When the minister is in charge of each district, he plays an important role there. Decisions for development projects are also made there. However, four of those who won in Bangalore will become ministers. All of them, including the Chief Minister, are partners in development. If you look at the city, you will realize that the infrastructure is not accelerating at the expected level due to the formation of many 'Shakti Peethas'.

When SM Krishna was the Chief Minister, he separated the city of Bangalore from the Urban Development Department and took it under his control. He had a dream of making Singapore and created a task force for the city itself. Even after this all the Chief Ministers kept the city under their wing. When Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister, he created a new post of Bengaluru Development Minister, K.J. George was in charge of them. All this should come from the finance and economic department itself. Except for the period when HD Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister in 2006, the Chief Minister also had the finance portfolio during the rest of his tenure. Thus, the chief minister should be the key to the development of Bangalore. After the coalition government came to power in 2018, Bengaluru is in charge of the chief minister. The Chief Minister who is responsible for the state should give enough time if he has to do 'iconic development' in the city. Role of BBMP, BDA, Water Boards should be made responsible. All these are election politics words and promises that are still there today.

Starting from the city's first flyover (Sirsi Circle) when H.D. Deve Gowda was Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna's Singapore-Electronic City, H.D. Kumaraswamy, B.S.Yeddyurappa's time, much attention is being given to the development works, including our metro, huge flyovers. However, this is not enough for the city. That is why the words of giving more development works are always heard in assembly elections.

While the mantra of development works is on the one hand, party and individual charisma have increased in the 28 assembly constituencies of the city. The fact that a single candidate has won three times in 18 constituencies since 2008 proves personal charisma. Some times the voter has forgotten the party and the person.

Need more money for Bangalore development? There are a lot of questions about whether the works are needed. A visit to Bengaluru, which accounts for three-fourths of the state's treasury, makes one realize that the capital has yet to develop if it experiences the problems of heavy rains. That is why even today the 'mantra of development works' continues as election politics.

There is no Chief Minister of Bengaluru!

Although the results of the 28 constituencies in the city are important for the parties in the formation of the state government, so far the winner of these constituencies has not become the chief minister. Apart from the fame of Kengal Hanumantaiah, who was the first Chief Minister, who belonged to Bangalore district, no one else has achieved that title. Ramanagara assembly constituency, which Hanumanthaya had won in 1952, was a part of Bangalore district in the then Mysore state. Apart from this, when Ramanagara was in Bangalore rural district, H.D. Devegowda, H.D. Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister.

Voter turnout is low!

Voter turnout in 28 assembly constituencies of Bengaluru is low as compared to other districts of the state. Even though the State Election Commission, BBMP and the district administration are trying hard, educated citizens are staying out of voting. Thus, last time only 49 lakh people exercised their right to vote out of 90 lakh voters. This time there are six lakh more voters.

There are many reasons for the low voter turnout. Many people go for a picnic when they get a holiday on polling day, many reasons are revealed why some people are not interested in voting at all. Apart from this, people from different parts of the country and abroad including many regions of the state have settled here for employment in the city. Most of them have voter card here too. Those who come from different villages of the state have priority to vote in Gram Panchayat elections. So they have voter ID card on both sides. Thus the overall vote count will be short. That is why the district administration, the district election officer and the state election commission have set a goal to touch the 75 percent voting threshold this time.

The party is strong in 2018

Party; Legislators

Congress; 15

BJP; 11

JDS; 2

After the 2019 by-elections

BJP; 15

Congress; 12

JDS; 1

The party is strong in 2013

Party; Legislators

Congress; 13

BJP; 12

JDS; 3

The party is strong in 2008

Party; Legislators

BJP; 17

Congress; 10

JDS; 1

Voter turnout in 2018

Electoral Districts (7 constituencies each); Total Voters; Voters; Percent

Bangalore City; 31,82,418; 18,23,899; 57.31

Bangalore North; 20,63,196; 11,24,718; 54. 51

Bangalore Central; 17,73,048; 9,80,668; 55. 31

Bangalore South; 20,17,753; 10,51,317; 52. 10

Total; 90,36,415; 49,80,602; 55.12

57.82 in 2013

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ..

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು: ಹ್ಯಾಟ್ರಿಕ್‌ ವೀರರ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲೂ ಮೂಲಸೌಕರ್ಯದ್ದೇ ಮಾತು