Bengaluru: For the Siddaramaiah government, the first setback came when the Supreme Court mandated his party to conduct elections to the BBMP Council. The state government failed in its efforts to persuade the apex court to allow it to restructure the BBMP.
Now the Congress loss in the election has put a question mark on the fate of the BBMP restructuring committee report. Though Mr Siddaramaiah and his partymen have maintained all along that irrespective of the results they will dissolve the elections, it looks like a distant dream. A source from the three-member restructuring committee said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will certainly approach the judiciary, if Congress decides to dissolve the elections.
“However, it has to be remembered that no court has told the state government that it cannot restructure the BBMP. Considering that even the trifurcation Bill is passed, the final nod has to come from the President. “The BJP on its part will also try its best to stop Congress, as holding elections again will be an expensive affair,” the source said.
A source from Congress party, however, said that Mr. Siddaramaiah had made it categorical that restructuring BBMP was part of its manifesto and it is bound to dissolve the elections. “Restructuring the BBMP seems definite. But it is to be seen if the Congress will go ahead and dissolve the elections and trifurcate the BBMP or restructure the local body within the existing system,” the source said.
No logic: Dinesh Gundurao
Countering Mr Siddaramaiah’s stand, Food and Civil Supplies minister Dinesh Gundurao told the media that restructuring Bengaluru and holding another election was impractical. Mr. Dinesh Gundurao said, “The cost of conducting elections is very high and it is a mammoth exercise. I don’t see any logic behind going for another poll after incurring huge expenditure. Also, why should the citizens be burdened with the poll exercise again? We need to explore how the BBMP can be restructured in the existing framework.”
Voices:
BBMP should first focus on maintenance work in Bengaluru such as garbage and potholes, instead of flyovers and underpass. It has to form a proper health policy to prevent diseases such as chikungunya. What’s required is restructuring of administration without trifurcation. We are looking at an administration that is accountable. Each ward should have a website. All the grievances and development works should be there. The party president should supervise and one should be able to complain in case corporators are not working.
N.S. Mukund, civic expert from Citizen Action Forum
The councillors should understand their responsibilities and get going with their activities. There are multiple challenges ahead of them. They should see how can they go about enhancing the BBMP’s revenue and take up special drives to improve property tax collection. They should look at the challenges of garbage and monitor to ensure segregation at source. I am sure there are several groups which have done the groundwork. They can help.
H.S. Shudhira, Urban expert, CEO of Gubbi Labs
I think we are hopeful that there is a need for action, whether it is garbage, public health, or roads. They need to address the issues in a systematic way and I guess they will as confusion over trifurcation is over now. They require more clarity and focus. A majority is a good thing, they’ll have the support to deliver good work.
Kalpana Kar, BPAC member and former BAFT member
I would ask them to first start with basics such as clearing parking of vehicles on roads. We just need those with open and clean hearts to bring about real changes on the ground. Traffic is undoubtedly one of the burning issues in Bengaluru and we need a clear vision to tackle that issue and not bogus promises.
M.N. Sreehari, Traffic expert
Since people have voted back BJP, whatever vision Congress had to make the city more attractive, should continue. More people should come forward to invest. The agenda of Vision Bengaluru should persist. They should forget party and work for our Bengaluru as a team. BJP says that they want to work with Congress. They need to make sure there is more transparency and work gets done as per schedule.
Lokesh Hebbani, Urban Expert
