Bengaluru: Shanti Nagar Assembly segment is represented by Congress MLA N A Haris. It is known as a bastion of Congress. Since 1967, 11 elections were held to the State Assembly. Congress candidates romped home eight times. BJP candidate S Raghu got elected in 2004 while Janata Dal (Secular) candidate D G Hemavathy succeeded in defeating veteran Congress leader M Muniswamy in 1994. Congress candidates in 2004 and 1994 were defeated by a few hundred votes majority.
Haris, the incumbent, got elected by a huge margin in the both the elections–20,205 in 2013 against K Vasudeva Murthy of JD (S) and 14,797 in 2008 against D U Mallikarjuna of BJP.
The total number of voters is 1,99,680. The number of male voters is 1,01,778 and women voters 97,8754 while 28 are others.
According to political analysts and local residents, it may not be easy for the Congress candidate to sail through in the Assembly elections to be held in 2018. They attribute it to the success of BJP candidates in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). BJP candidates won from four wards out of seven wards in 2015. While one independent got elected from one ward, Congress succeeded in bagging only two wards–Neelasandra and Shanthinagar. Congress could not win from wards such as Jogupalya, Shanthalanagar, Agaram and Vannarpet where BJP candidates romped home while Domalur ward slipped away from BJP to an independent.
“Developmental works have not been taken up since the last three years. For example, MLA Haris laid a foundation stone for a community hall three years ago but the construction is yet to commence,’’ A Chandrasekhar, a resident of Shanthinagar working as an interior designer said.
Haris played a key role in demolition of quarters constructed by the BBMP at Ejipura for economically weaker sections. The quarters were demolished in January 2013 by promising to construct new quarters for the residents but no work has taken place even after five years.
“They promised to construct the houses for us while convincing us to vacate the quarters in 2013. Taking their assurance seriously, we have been residing on this footpath in a makeshift tent. We have to walk a few hundred metres even to attend nature’s call since the public toilets are situated on the other side of the road,’’ lamented a resident.
Many people in Vinayakanagar are not happy with present MLA’s apathetic attitude in evicting dyeing units which are posing danger to environment and also polluting drinking water.
There are 24 dyeing units at Vinayakanagar causing much inconvenience to the residents. The residents allege the dyeing units are functioning with the blessings of elected representatives.
“The MLA is not bothered about our health. He is interested in vote bank politics. We want him to help us by evicting dyeing units from this area. The drinking water is being polluted because of the units letting waste water into the drains,’’ complains Pushapa N (name changed), a home-maker.
The shopkeepers and vendors at Austin Town market also are not happy with the MLA’s style of functioning. The BBMP proposed to demolish the existing market to make way for a new one but no initiative was taken in this regard. “Our MLA has become inaccessible. He visits our area once in a year to attend functions. He distributes rice and other gifts to selected people on his birthday. We want him to focus on developmental works,’’ said a home-maker on condition of anonymity.
Some of the residents at Neelasandra are yet to receive title deeds of their homes. They complain that MLA has been postponing issuing of title deeds on one or the other pretext.
They also complain that MLA has not taken measures to mitigate civic problems at Neelasandra. They said many people fall sick often due to mosquitoes and unhygienic condition owing to an open storm water drain that is choked with silt and garbage. “We are not able to bear with the bad odour emanating from the nearby storm water drain. We are not lucky even to receive clean drinking water supplied by Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). We want our MLA to do something to fix these problems,’’ V Sara, a fast food vendor said.
However, MLA NA Haris was not available for comment.
