BBMP polls: Unholy pacts abound, a win matters most!

Bengaluru: There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics and the BBMP polls are proof enough of this. Even while indulging in vitriolic attacks on each other in public, local leaders of the  Congress, BJP and JD(S) are cosying up to each other wherever they find it suitable to make secret pacts and ensure their supporters make it to the BBMP council.

Rumours are flying thick that JD(S) and BJP have struck an unofficial pact under which JD(S) will field weak candidates against BJP leaders to ensure the main enemy, Congress is defeated. But that is not the end of the story, in many areas, there are BJP-JD(S) and  Congress-JD(S) pacts too. And to top it all, BJP and Congress leaders have also joined hands in many places.

There is a radical shift in the poll chemistry in BBMP polls compared to the Assembly and parliament elections. Larger issues pertaining to development which dominate Assembly elections are sidelined. There are wards where the caste factor rules, others where businessmen call the shots and still others where the working class holds sway. Even private financiers and moneylenders can get their followers elected at the cost of the party candidate if  their own party rejects their choice.

For example, wholesale traders have their say in the  Majestic area while there are clusters of small scale industries where workers play a dominant role and others where the real estate makes the difference between victory and defeat.

In middle and upper middle class areas where residents are indifferent towards voting, slum dwellers living on the fringes and slumlords play a crucial role. Community vote banks also come into play.

The minority vote inevitably goes against the BJP while the trading community in wholesale markets like Chickpet vote en masse for the saffronists. Caste calculations do work to a certain extent but voter loyalty is tied to the preferences of business leaders.

The politicians who have the most difficult time during civic elections are MLAs of Bengaluru city. Though they know which candidate is best suited for a ward, the pressure within the party may work against their choice. They also have to ensure the opposition candidate is weak where they want their choice to win.

For example, a minister from a Bengaluru constituency negotiated with a JD(S) leader, so that the party did not give ticket to a minority candidate in a ward where his house is located. It would be a loss of face for the minister if his party lost in his home ward. In the bargain, he offered to field a weak candidate in another ward, sources said.

There are instances where the local MLA does not want a troublesome corporator of his own party to win. In such places, the MLA joins hands with the opposition to ensure the candidate loses. Elsewhere, MLAs themselves prop up independent candidates to divide party votes!\

Owaisi’s men to try their luck in city polls

Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) headed by Asaduddin Owaisi has made a formal entry into state politics with the party fielding candidates in 30 BBMP wards in four minority dominated Assembly constituencies- Sarvajna Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, Chamarajpet and Pulikeshinagar.

The party had also succeeded in getting the ban lifted on its star campaigner Mr Owaisi, who will be campaigning for more than a week in Bengaluru from August 13. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, AIMIM Bengaluru district president, Mohammed Ibrahim said, “Our aim is to bite only what we can chew. We would like to make a beginning that too a good beginning, therefore, we decided to concentrate only on our core areas.”

The party is looking at establishing its base and has decided to make a low profile entry into the civic polls.

“Our aim is to promote communal harmony, it does not mean we are being overtly protective of  Muslims. Let us make a headstart with a handful of loyal workers whose politics can bring about a worthwhile transformation in the ward where they contest or win,” he explained.

The party believes in inclusive politics. “We know very well that the politics of seclusion nor division will not help in any way here. The constituencies we have chosen might give an impression that they are all Muslim dominated but if one carefully studies the caste composition of each constituency, they have mixed cultures and are multi-lingual. Most of the voters are fluent in at least two to three languages - Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam - besides English, Kananda and Urdu. So, no one should take these voters lightly. They are much more enlightened than many others,” he said.

With the high court lifting the ban, the AIMIM Bengaluru district unit is preparing an elaborate campaign  for its star campaigner AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Bengaluru District AIMIM president, Mohammed Ibrahim said, “We are constantly in touch with our central office in Hyderabad to  prepare a week-long campaign for our president.” He added that Mr Owaisi will speak on civic problems as well  as infrastructure woes faced by citizens here.