Bengaluru: India’s third most important city has spoken. The message is loud and clear. The voters of Bengaluru have expressed their no confidence in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership. They find him uninspiring. They have once again voted the BJP back to power in the Bengaluru City Corporation or the BBMP for the next five years. The BJP which ruled Bengaluru till last April was facing a massive anti-incumbency. It was accused of not even clearing the garbage during its previous term. Till a month ago, nobody had expected the BJP to retain power in the current election. But, Siddaramaiah’s visionless, casteist and directionless rule helped the BJP to win Bengaluru once again.
As a voter on the road says it may not be a decisive vote for the BJP. But, it is certainly a decisive vote against Siddaramaiah. Analysing the results, veteran editor Ramakrishna Upadhya said, "it is a vote against Siddaramaiah. Against his visionless governance, against his anti-Bengaluru attitude. He has kept all good people out. The party has paid the price for it."
Siddaramaiah who rode to power on the anti-BJP sentiments in 2013 Assembly elections treated Bengaluru with some sort of contempt in the first two years. He wilfully stayed away from city’s prominent people who have a grand vision for the burgeoning Metropolis. He did not bother to fix basic issues like road, traffic, water, cleanliness etc. He kept the lucrative Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) portfolio with himself, but did nothing to improve the living standards of Bengaluru people. He dismissed ideas given by the civic society for better Bengaluru as elitist.
He also tried his best to trifurcate the BBMP and postpone the elections. He reluctantly led his party to the polls after all his efforts failed. The main rival BJP is also faction ridden. Even some of the prominent leaders of the BJP were not sure of its victory. They were worried that its misrule between 2010-15 might go against them. Siddaramaiah, who was not ready to admit his mistakes was heavily depending on the anti-incumbency factor. But, the shocking results proved him wrong.
The voting percentage was just 44% across the city. Bengaluru city in charge minister and a top leader of the city Congress B Ramalingareddy made a statement saying that the Congress will win if the educated people don’t come out to vote. He was referring to low turnout.
Bengaluru City Corporation is one of the worst administered civic bodies in India. For a city of Bengaluru’s size and importance, its income is so small. It is the only city whose total expenses are over Rs 7500 crore per year and revenue is a pittance Rs 1500 crore. It has been surviving on the dole out given by the state government. It is another matter and pity that neither Congress, nor BJP have any roadmap for the city.
The Siddaramaiah government has five ministers from Bengaluru alone. Home minister KJ George, Transport minister B Ramalingareddy, Information & Infrastructure Development minister R Roshan Baig, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda and Food & Civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundurao are MLAs from Bengaluru. They also failed to come together and face the election as one team.
Surveys conducted by various private media houses during the elections prove that former chief minister SM Krishna is the most popular face in Bengaluru cutting across all party lines. He stayed away from the campaign. Siddaramaiah did not even bother to invite him. Infosys co-founder, founder of Aadhar and a prominent born Bangalorean Nandan Nilekani was not even roped in. Many other seniors were ignored.
Bengaluru is a Vokkaliga dominated who are present in a very large number in the city. Siddaramaiah’s image of being an anti-upper caste (in this case Vokkaligas) leader also went against him. It is a fact that most of the voters who came out to vote are from lower sections of the society. The Congress was under the impression that these people are its permanent vote bank and took them for granted. It started the celebration even before the counting. The outcome of the election has proved that majority of these people have sided with the BJP, certainly a wake up call for the Congress.
Siddaramaiah has been focussing on populist schemes like free rice, etc ever since he came to power. According experts to such populist schemes implemented without thinking about their long term impact can milk the state dry. The voters of Bengaluru have decided to go with the BJP which they hold responsible for the misrule and urban mess rather than going with Siddaramaiah. It speaks volumes about his governance and image.
The knives are already out against Siddaramaiah. His detractors in the party are already in a huddle to chalk out their next strategy. The people hope that the BJP will not make the same mistakes in its next term and govern the city well. If the BJP manages the BBMP affairs well, the Congress can sink further down in the coming days.
The results have proved that Bengaluru is changing. The Congress has to change to remain relevant in a new order. Not many are hopeful that it will get the message.
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