BENGALURU: The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress are aware that the key to power lies in the capital city. Both parties, wracked by insider versus outsider tussles, are striving to capture Bengaluru, which plays a crucial role in government formation in Karnataka.
It is believed that whoever wins more seats in Bengaluru, comes to power in the state. In 2008, BJP won 17 seats in Bengaluru, Congress won 10 and JDS one seat and the BJP came to power. In the 2013 polls, Congress won 14, BJP 12 and JDS two seats, after which Congress formed the government. In 2018, BJP won 11 seats, Congress 14 and JDS three seats.
There was a coalition government, but when the turncoats joined BJP in 2019, the bypolls gave 15 seats to BJP, 11 to Congress and two to JDS. BJP ruled the state.
Bengaluru, with 28 assembly constituencies, is crucial for all political parties. However, allotting tickets to candidates in Bengaluru appears to be a challenge for both the BJP and Congress, as many constituencies have turncoat MLAs, sparking off a power struggle between old and new party leaders.
Though BJP won four seats in the 2019 bypolls, it has led to friction within the party as old-timers are denied tickets to contest from a few seats, as ST Somashekar, Byrathi Basavaraj, Munirathna and K Gopaliah are the party candidates. “In 2019, we worked for the turncoats, as elections were fought under BS Yediyurappa’s leadership. We had worked against these same turncoats in 2018. Local leaders and workers are not happy to work for them again in 2023,” said a BJP worker, on condition of anonymity.
Congress, too, faces a similar situation. After BJP MLC Puttanna’s name was announced as the Congress candidate for Rajajinagar, discontent set in. Former deputy mayor BS Puttaraju, the party aspirant, even threatened to contest as a rebel candidate. Congress spokesperson Bhavya Narasimhamurthy, another contender, and her followers expressed displeasure over the choice.
In Pulikeshinagar, former CM Siddaramaiah is batting for sitting MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, while KPCC president DK Shivakumar favours former mayor Sampath Raj. Significantly, Sampath Raj was arrested for setting Akhanda’s house on fire. Rizwan Arshad was given the ticket from Shivajinagar, which is not acceptable to a section of Congress workers who were earlier working for then MLA Roshan Baig.