BENGALURU: With Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot giving his nod to the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, paving the way to split Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into seven segments, the opposition BJP predicts imbalance, water scarcity, and administration problems.
BJP leaders say the idea of city founder Kempe Gowda, about one Bengaluru, is being destabilised, and once the BJP is back in power, it will bring back the existing model of one corporation and one mayor.
Opposing the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, Union Minister of State for Railways and Jala Shakti V Somanna said the Congress government is trying to delay BBMP polls by bringing in this Act. “Ever since this government came to power, Bengaluru has not been developed. Potholes are not filled,’’ he said.
Predicting that the Congress will not win the next assembly polls, Somanna said, “We will come back to power in the state and conduct polls for BBMP.’’
Former minister and Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K Gopalaiah expressed concern about water scarcity in areas which will be added, and also the demise of administration by gram panchayats.
“The government is not able to provide water and sanitary connections to 110 villages which were added to BBMP in 2008. Cauvery is the only drinking water source. The three-corporation system will lead to imbalance in one area and development in another. Also, the Congress government’s move to bring an end to BBMP will be against the idea of Bengaluru founder Kempe Gowda. BJP will condemn this move. Due to the new Bill, the election to BBMP will be further delayed,” opined Gopalaiah.
Launching a scathing attack, Dasarahalli BJP MLA S Muniraju said BJP stands for ‘One Bengaluru’ and ‘One Mayor’ system.
“A multiple municipality model in Mumbai and Delhi has failed. It may happen here too. When we can have one CM for one state, what is wrong with having one mayor and one corporation for Bengaluru? When we come to power, we will bring back the same system,” said Muniraju.
On the Congress model of Greater Bengaluru governance and multiple corporations, Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan opined that Congress’ act is like adding fuel to fire. “When there are issues of corruption and BBMP with eight zones is without an elected body for four years, the government, instead of holding elections to the existing one and streamlining zonal level administration, is heading to split BBMP,” stated the MP.