BENGALURU: Pushed to the bottom in the last BBMP polls, ruling Congress is brimming with confidence this time to take a big leap to the top in Yeshwantpur Constituency.
Of the five wards here, Congress could register a win in just one ward in 2010, while BJP and JD(S) had bagged two wards each.
The constituency, which still has a semi rural rustic ambience in many of its wards had fallen to Congress in the 2013 assembly election with S T Somashekar registering a huge victory and in the process snatching it from BJP.
Considered among the close confidants of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Somashekar is showcasing the development works he has initiated in last two years to bring all the five wards to Congress kitty this time.
However, a strong presence of JD(S) here could upset the calculations in a couple of wards as there is a triangular contest in almost all wards in this constituency among Congress, BJP and JD(S).
Ullalu ward has drawn the curiosity of the commoners and the elite as B Rohini Suresh, daughter of retired IAS officer Baladeva Krishna has taken the poll plunge by resigning as a lecturer in Ambedkar Engineering College.
The BBMP elections are crucial for the residents of Yeshwantpur assembly segment as they expect the next corporators to develop the area which has seen development only in recent years.
“Surely, the area will improve in the next three years rapidly. But the next elected representative must meet the basic infrastructure demands of the public. We don’t even have bus shelters now,” said a resident.
Another observed that politics is hindering development in a few wards.
With MLA Somashekar being from the Congress, the non-Congress corporators allegedly found it difficult to get funds for their wards through the legislator.
“The non-congress corporators blame the MLA and vise versa when we go with a problem,” a resident said.
But interestingly, BJP candidate (previous councillor: Veena Nagaraju) at Hemmigepura has got ` 30.5 crore for her ward. Apart from Dodda Bidrakallu (which got `12.5 crore) all other wards got less than `10 crore in grants.
Still Village-like
The constituency has developed only in patches, and though situated just 11 km from the Vidhana Soudha many areas still look like a village.
Hemmigepura, Dodda Bidarakallu and Herohalli in the constituency are growing only after they were included in the BBMP in 2008.
The development of BDA layouts, mushrooming offices real estate agents and massive construction activities are a common scene in many wards.
The Kengeri railway station and Kengeri satellite town come under this constituency.
Yeshwantpur has been one of north Bengaluru’s most prominent areas, with a mix of residential and industrial activity. Employees of industrial units in Peenya industrial area have settled in these areas in large numbers.
Population Spurt
The wards at the constituency have witnessed tremendous growth in terms of population in 2001-2011. The least is at Kengeri, which is 63.9 per cent while the highest is 276.20 per cent in Dodda Bidarakallu.