BBMP polls: New-age parties have second thoughts about polls

BENGALURU: After Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to backpedal from contesting BBMP polls as it is farce and restructuring of Bengaluru is imminent if the governor approves the restructuring bill, even the Loksatta party too evinced lukewarm response.

The new age parties are reluctant to take risk of contesting polls by spending money as they fear the dissolution of the BBMP soon after the polls and would go for yet another polls after restructuring the city.

Loksatta state president M. S. Mukunda says that contesting BBMP polls is a wasteful exercise as the BBMP will be a temporary body as the government is leaving no stones unturned to dissolve. Their efforts to postpone elections with high court and supreme court miserably failed. Now, the government is treading to get the governor nod on the restructuring bill and polls are being held only to comply with the court order, he said.

However, Loksatta will field about 25 candidates to fight polls. Not withstanding the rampant corruption in the local body and sub-standard execution of works, techies, consultants in Multi National Companies (MNC) with good qualification will try their luck to serve public. By contesting in the upcoming BBMP polls, the party will know the ground reality towards the new age parties.

This will be a lesson for the real big elections like assembly and Lok Sabha. Already, workers have started campaigning vigorously in their respective wards, said Mr. Mukund. “In some wards, about 2,000 households have been covered and have got positive feedback from public. But we will have to wait and watch if they convert into votes in our favour. Public question how can Loksatta contribute to the ward with a handful of seats.

But, each ward will get a grant of about Rs. three crore which is sufficient to upgrade wards,” he said. Besides, Loksatta advocates administration by the people and for the people. Ward sabhas will be formed to cater to the needs of the ward rather than executing unwanted wasteful projects, felt Mr. Mukund.