Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segment hogged the lime light on many occasions due to all wrong reasons, thanks to its elected representative Munirathna who is at logger heads with not only corporators belonging to Opposition parties but also his own party (Congress).
There are nine wards in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly segment. Among the nine wards, five are represented by Congress corporators and three by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators and one by Janata Dal (Secular) corporator. Though there will be no formidable challenge to Congress MLA Munirathna if the number of votes polled in the elections held in 2013 and number of wards Congress captured are any indications but the recent controversies have certainly dented his image.
The three women corporators – Asha Suresh of Congress representing HMT ward, Mamatha K B Vasudev of BJP representing JP Park ward and Manjula Narayanaswamy of JD(S) representing Laggere ward – have succeeded in making Munirathna unpopular by attempting to consume phenol to commit suicide in the BBMP Council meeting in May and staging dharna thus compelling BJP corporators to stage a walkout in the Council meet held in June.
They alleged MLA Munirathna is not allowing them to take up developmental works in their respective wards. “Doing rounds to police station has become my daily routine. Mayor has to do something about this,” said Asha Suresh.
Manjula Narayanaswamy gone to an extent of alleging that MLA’s supporters attempted to molest her in a public meeting attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Mamatha K B Vasudev alleged that Munirathna’s supporters are filing false cases against her.
However, Munirathna seems not perturbed over the allegations and accusations against him because he is considered as one of the members of Chief Minister’s kitchen cabinet. He also played a key role in garnering support from independent corporators to Congress in the BBMP Council.
“I am not harassing anyone. I am doing my duty as per rules and regulations. The women corporators are making baseless allegations against me,’’ Munirathna said.
Many in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency feel that Munirathna will romp home in the next Assembly elections scheduled in April/May 2018. There are 3,86,535 voters in this assembly segment. While 2,03,506 are male voters, 1,82,985 are women and 44 are others.
M. Srinivas of BJP defeated Congress candidate P.N. Krishnamurthy in 2008. Srinivas got 60,187 votes while Krishnamurthy polled 40,595 votes. In the Assembly elections held in 2013, Congress candidate Munirathna defeated JD(S) candidate K.L.R. Thimmananjaiah by 19,592 votes by polling 60,187 votes against the latter’s 40,595 votes.
Poor infrastructure is the main problem in this segment. The residents blame the elected representatives for poor infrastructure here. They said that elected representatives, instead of working for the development of this assembly constituency, are busy in mudslinging.
“We are fed up with the tussle between women corporators and MLA. They are busy in washing dirty linen in public. I hope they will behave responsibly and work for the welfare of people,’’ said Muniswamy S, a resident of Yesvantpur.
The delay in completing the drain work is affecting hawker and vendors near Yesvantpur market. “The BBMP authorities, accompanied by police, evicted us from the footpath citing the need to develop it but no progress even after three months,’’ complains Ambujamma, a vegetable vendor.
Meanwhile, Munirathna is confident of romping home again in the elections to be held next year. “I am confident of Congress giving me ticket to contest from this constituency. I have no doubt about my success in the election,’’ said Munirathna.
