BENGALURU: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed elected representatives, aspirants and party leaders from Bengaluru on Sunday, the BJP has stepped up preparations for the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) polls. The party has scheduled a meeting on May 15 with BJP MLAs and city leaders to discuss election strategy.
Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi has announced that the GBA polls are tentatively expected to be held in the second or third week of June. Modi, who was in Bengaluru, addressed a gathering largely comprising elected representatives and party leaders from the city.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, BJP State President BY Vijayendra alleged that Congress government has neglected Bengaluru over the past three years. “There are several issues to take to the people, including bad roads, garbage and water problems.
We will fight not just to win the polls, but in the interest of Bengaluru’s citizens who are fed up with the Congress government,” he said. Vijayendra said Bengaluru has traditionally been a BJP stronghold in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and expressed confidence that the party would secure a lion’s share of seats. “The government promised a ‘Brand Bengaluru’ but has failed to deliver. We are determined to win all five corporations under the GBA,” he added.
Party leaders believe the outcome of the Bengaluru civic polls will have wider political implications across the state ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. Recalling the 2015 BBMP polls, a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said that although the BJP won more than 50% of wards, the Congress and JD(S) joined hands to form the administration by bringing MLCs and Rajya Sabha MPs from other districts to Bengaluru to win the mayoral election.
“Congress was in power then and is in power now. There is a possibility of a similar move, and we have instructed our legal team to keep track of the situation,” the leader said.
Sources also indicated that the BJP plans to hold discussions with JDS leaders regarding a possible alliance. “JDS may not have a significant voter base in Bengaluru, but their votes could help BJP,” sources said.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said the party will hold a legislative meeting on May 15, along with a meeting of BJP leaders from Bengaluru, including MLAs and MPs. The meeting will also be attended by Ram Madhav and BL Santhosh.
“We have already constituted constituency-level committees that will submit a panel of three candidates each. The party will finalise candidates in the coming days,” he said.