Which way will Bangalore North wind blow?
Bangalore North is a large and important constituency, one that has grown in leaps and bounds.
In 2014, riding high on the Modi wave, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, now Union Minister, swept to a victory in Bangalore North constituency by a huge margin of over 2 lakh votes. This time around, DVS as he is popularly known, will have to pull out all the stops to beat off a spirited challenge from the young and affable Krishna Byregowda, who is making the best of his suave and sophisticated image and the fact that the majority of MLAs in the parliament seat are Congressmen, to romp to a win. Will the formidable business community and the Vokkaligas who dominate the constituency, stand behindhimlike they did before or prefer a fresh face like KBG?
Nikhil Gangadhar visits the constituency to identify the emerging trends
There was no all-star cast of campaigners, no celebrity hysteria – D.V.Sadananda Gowda let his work speak for him as he campaigned in Bangalore North on Wednesday morning. Travelling through his constituency in a van covered with BJP insignia, Mr Gowda drove through loud chants of ‘Modi, Modi’, from the crowds that had gathered to welcome him.
Mr Gowda, the incumbent MP for Bangalore North, is contesting here for the second time and has won favour with his voters for the being the MP who has made the maximum utilisation of his MPLAD funds. Still, the fight will not be an easy one, for Mr Gowda is going up against the Congress’ Krishna Byregowda, who, with his proactive approach to interacting with voters, from flash mobs to meetings with young entrepreneurs, as well as his plans to turn the area into an entrepreneurship hub, has won massive favour amongst the urban youth.
Determined not to be outdone, the usually grounded Mr Gowda began his campaigning by flagging off a bike rally in K.R. Puram, accompanied by Nandish Reddy, former BJP MLA from the area, as well as other corporators from the saffron party.
Narayanappa, a fruit seller in K.R. Puram, watched, disgruntled, from the sidelines. “This is the first time I have seen him in five years. The last was in 2014,” he said. “Mr D.V.S. will come back again after five years, if he wins. But this time, I am sure that I will not vote for someone who is not accessible. Last time, we requested DVS to ensure that K.R. Puram market is developed but nothing has been done. Now, we have a new candidate from the Congress and I will give him a chance.” Something “inside him” tells him “KBG will win,” he philosophised, as the Congress leader has “won before from Vemgal in Kolar.” A huge population in K.R. Puram has a connect with KBG, he remarks, as he “is known to carry out developmental works.”
Bangalore North is a large and important constituency, one that has grown in leaps and bounds. Water shortage and traffic problems, though, have never been far behind. One thing is for certain: Whoever wins has a big task on their hands.
Ravikantha, the owner of a printing press in B. Narayanpura, has a different take. “Looking at the crowds gathered for DVS shows, looks like he has a high chance of winning. But we cannot get carried away by appearances, let’s wait for the results.” He often asks customers who drop by about their political leanings and has learned, through these chats, that a large number are in favour of DVS returning for a second term. “People say he has not visited them once since 2014 but according to what I know, he has made it a point to meet people everytime he came to the city. We really, really hope we wins this time too because we need people like him representing Karnataka and Bengaluru in Delhi.”
A group of college students in K.R. Puram waited eagerly for DVS’ arrival and the moment he appeared, they showered him with flowers. Do they think Mr Gowda has a chance at victory? “We understand that there are tensions in the country and that BJP could be behind them. But DVS is contesting from here and he has worked for this constituency. He cannot be blamed for what happens at the centre. We will vote for him again and would like to see him as an MP soon.”
Sadananda Gowda failed on the suburban rail front: Activist
Krishna Byre Gowda, the 46-year-old Congress leader, brings youth and dynamism to Bangalore North, feels Cynthia Stephen, a policy researcher and social rights activist from the constituency. A member of the National Woman's Party, she had filed her nomination to contest too, although it was rejected due to technical reasons.
Ms Stephen is, however, well aware of the ground realities in Bangalore North and has her finger on the public pulse. She observes that this is the constituency with highest migrant population, most of whom work as labourers, in small scale factories, the garment industry, food industry and many more. She wants to fight ot bring them better living conditions.
"Unfortunately, my nomination was rejected but I did study the constituency. It needs attention in all respects. Numerous public infrastructure projects have been stalled for reasons unknown and the development of the alternate route to the airport still isn't fit for use." Traffic and water scarcity are the major problems, she observes, adding that they should be tackled by those who are dedicated to serving the constituency and its people.
It looks like a tough fight is in order, with two big names battling it o ut. DVS has done a fair amount of work but now we have the entry of the young and charismatic Congress man, KBG. "People say that the candidates are well matched but that DVS could have done more. He could have brought in the suburban rail when he was Railways Minister but he didn't and it will be a big loss for him. On the other hand, KBG is known for his work and has the upper hand in the election. Nothing can be concluded till the results are out," she adds.