Dasarahalli is one of the constituencies where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates are expected to do a hattrick in the next Assembly elections scheduled to be held in April or May 2018. The BJP candidate S Muniraju has won from Dasarahalli in 2008 and 2013 by defeating nearest rivals K.C. Ashoka in 2008 and B.L. Shankar in 2013.
Though Muniraju has succeeded in defeating Congress candidates in 2008 and 2013 with a considerable majority of votes, the anti-incumbency factory is expected to create hurdles for him in the next Assembly elections.
“I do not want to comment on the initiatives taken by BJP MLA Muniraju in improving the infrastructure in Dasarahalli. The voters of Dasarahalli Assembly segment are waiting for the next Assembly elections to show the door to the present MLA. The people are not happy with him,’’ said Deputy Mayor PadmavathiNarasimhamurthy who represents Rajagopalanagar ward in the BBMP Council.
Expressing similar opinion, K Nagabhushan, corporator of Shettihalli ward (he won the BBMP election in 2015 with a majority of 189 votes) said the voters are not happy with the apathy and negligence of the present MLA. “The voters have elected Muniraju twice but he failed to meet their expectations. I am confident of contesting next Assembly election as a Congress candidate. Congress leader B.L. Shankar, who contested in the last Assembly election has recommended my name as a Congress candidate to contest in the next Assembly election,’’ said Nagabhushan.
However, the majority of votes with which BJP MLA Muniraju managed to win the last two elections indicates that he needs not worry or work hard to win the next Assembly election. Muniraju has defeated K.C. Ashoka of Congress with a majority of 22.155 votes. Muniraju got 59,004 votes while Congress candidate Ashoka has managed to get 36,849 votes. However, the majority of votes has come down in 2013. Muniraju got 57,562 votes while Congress candidate B.L. Shankar got 46,734 votes. BJP candidate has managed to defeat Congress candidate with a majority of 10,828 votes. Janata Dal (Secular) candidate Andanappa B got 43,049 votes.
There are eight wards in Dasarahalli assembly segment. While BJP candidates represents five wards –Mallasandra, Bagalakunte, T. Dasarahalli, Chokkasandra and Hegganahalli – in the Bruhat Bengaluru MahanagaraPalike (BBMP) Council, Congress candidates manage to win from only two wards – Shettyhalli and Peenya Industrial Area while JD(S) candidate represents Rajagopalanagar ward in the BBMP Council.
Meanwhile, MLA S Muniraju is confident of his success in the next Assembly elections. The MLA said that he had fulfilled the promises made during the last Assembly elections. “The people are very happy with my performance as their MLA. Most of the areas in Dasarahalli had no underground drainage (UGD) facility for a quite long time. I took measures to complete the UGD works. There was an acute shortage for drinking water in this constituency. I have fulfilled their demand by taking up Cauvery water supply work. There were no parks in this constituency. I took the initiative to develop around 40 parks in this constituency apart from developing and improving five lakes,’’ Muniraju said.
He said that he won from this constituency in 2008 against the Congress wave in the country and in the state. “I have won in 2013 when BJP was facing hurdles due to the launch of Karnataka Janata Paksha by B.S. Yeddyurappa. I am confident of winning in the next election irrespective of Congress candidate Nagabhushan or Siddaramaiah,’’ he said.
All in all, BJP candidate Muniraju is expected to do a hattrick in the next Assembly election if Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) parties fail to have an understanding.
