BENGALURU: Having won the last two Assembly polls with a handsome majority, BJP’s S Muniraju has to beat only the anti-incumbency factor to score a hattrick in Dasarahalli.The area has been a BJP stronghold. Muniraju won over Congress’s B L Shankar by nearly 11,000 votes in the previous Assembly elections. In 2008, the BJP candidate’s victory margin was huge with 22,000 plus votes polled over K C Ashoka of Congress.
His chances of victory were strengthened by the merger of Yeddyurappa’s Karnataka Janata Party with the BJP in 2014.The infighting rocking the Congress here would also work to his advantage. Congress man P N Krishnamurthy, who was denied a ticket in the 2008 Assembly polls, has been named the party candidate this election. However, another Congress leader Timmananjaiah, who was fervently canvassing for a party ticket, has openly expressed his disappointment. He has refused to campaign for the party candidate. Krishnamurthy had contested from Rajarajeshwarinagar a decade ago but lost.
Dasarahalli constituency was formed during the 2007 delimitation exercise and went to the elections in 2008. It has 10 villages and Peenya Industrial hub falls in this constituency where at least 12 lakh employees work. However, most of those who come here comprise the floating population and do not vote here.
Muniraju is confident of win ning due to the development works he has undertaken. He had begun the process of supplying Cauvery water here. An underground drainage system too has been put in place here. He is also credited with developing 40 parks.
