Winning BBMP: Pilgrimages the in-thing

BENGALURU: Soon after the announcement of BBMP polls by the State Election Commission (SEC), political parties in order to woo the voters are offering to take them on pilgrimage to Dharmasthala, Tirupati and Om Shakti temples.

In the name of god, political parties are committing voters to support the respective parties. They feel that since the people are god fearing they would not betray them after availing the all-expense-paid pilgrimage. The parties plan to offer other incentives for those not keen on pilgrimages, added sources.

The local leaders, who are close to legislators of that particular constituency and defeated MLA candidates strike a deal with voters and take them on pilgrimages. Muniraju R, resident of NGEF layout in Kasturinagar said that people of the area have been sorted as per their pilgrimage wish to Dharmasthala, Tirupati and other places.

At least 10 buses will be booked from private travel agencies. All their requirement such as food, accommodation and travel will be taken care of. Any number of people can go on pilgrimage from a house or family, he said. This practice is more prevalent in wards located beyond Outer Ring Road. The practice is rampant at areas such as K.R. Puram, Dasarahalli, Byatarayanapura, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura. Byrathi Basavaraj, who is close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has already taken a lead in arranging such trips and mass feedings in K.R. Puram to ensure victory in the seven wards.

In some areas, corporator aspirants too have taken lead. The pilgrimage trips are organised by their trusted lieutenants to avoid being caught for violation of election code of conduct for spending over and above the limit of Rs 5 lakh per candidate, added sources. The youth are being lured by providing cricket kits and football accessories.

‘is the palike willing to correct anomalies in voters’ list?’

Many NGOs and civic activists have intensively worked on correcting the anomalies in the voters’ list, but the BBMP and elected representatives seem to have a different agenda in not adopting the foolproof voters’ list says Malleswaram Swabhimanaa Initiative memeber and civic activist Dr Meenakshi Bharath.

How can the BBMP cleanse the 30,000 anomalies found in the voters list?

Is the BBMP sure it is just 30,000? I’m sure there are more. We are in the IT city and the BBMP can make optimum use of technology to rectify errors. But is the BBMP willing to cleanse the anomalies is the question. And from what we have seen, it doesn’t look the civic body wants a clean list. It wants people who are alive, dead and duplicated all in the list.

How can the BBMP ensure 100 per cent EPIC coverage?

Now that EPIC is an ID proof, everybody wants to have the EPIC cards. The BBMP can send text messages just the political parties and inform voters to check in their particular wards. Since the list is already there the BBMP only has to make use of it.

What measures should be adopted to increase voters’ turnout as the election will be on a Tuesday and some may make it an extended weekend?

In Mumbai too the voters’ turnout for Municipal election is 40 per cent. The problem persists at the national level. There should be more awareness among voters to exercise their right.