BENGALURU: Rajajinagar is one constituency that has been showing some seemingly contradictory trends.
While massive apartment complexes have come in the area, the decadal population growth in some of its wards has been coming down. In wards like Rajajinagar and Prakashnagar, there is even a negative population growth. Predominantly a residential locality, the constituency was named after freedom fighter C Rajagopalachari, who was popularly known as Rajaji.
It was a new extension of the then Bangalore City Corporation in the late sixties and was later developed by the BDA.
With many people from North Karnataka residing here, numerous Khanavalis have come up where they make jowar rotis. A majority of them are from the Lingayat community.
Rajajinagar connects west Bengaluru to the central business district, one of the old localities of the city, and there is a metro train running between Peenya and Malleswaram via Rajajinagar. The constituency is bordered by Malleswaram, Mahalakshmipuram, Vijayanagar and Govindarajnagar.
Though a sum of at least Rs 215 crore has been allotted to the area in the past five years, development has been uneven.
While some areas appear to have decent facilities, wards like Dayanandanagar need attention.
Potholes-filled roads continue to torment pedestrians and vehicle users in all seven wards of Rajajinagar. Residents complain about narrow roads, which have seen better days.
Garbage is often dumped on the roadsides and pourakarmikas do not clear it, they say.
While most old areas of Bengaluru can boast of parks and enough lung space, Rajajinagar has only a few. Parks too are few and far between.
Unlike Vijayanagar, Malleswaram or Basavanagudi, Rajajinagar does not even have a green belt. Even the number of playgrounds is not up to the mark. There is just one lake in the entire area.
BJP’s Fortress
Suresh Kumar, former minister and BJP MLA of Rajajinagar, said his party won in six wards in the constituency in the 2010 elections. This year, BJP is targeting to win all seven.
The area is considered a fortress for the BJP. However, rebels might take away some votes. Suresh is the key player for BJP, and former Congress MLA N L Narendra Babu for Congress.
— Data sourced from the B S Patil Committee Report on the restructuring of BBMP
ward by ward: the major party candidates and the problems voters think their representative needs to address
