Bengaluru: Byatarayanapura is one of the assembly constituencies among the 12 in Bengaluru represented by Congress MLAs. If the popularity of the present incumbent and the developmental works taken up in Byatarayanapura assembly segment in Bengaluru North Lok Sabha segment are any indication during the last few years, it seems the main Opposition in the Assembly and also Janata Dal (Secular) have to spend more time in selecting the candidate with the required resources to challenge the present incumbent Krishna Byre Gowda who is holding the portfolio of Agriculture in Siddaramaiah Cabinet.
One needs not waste his time or make extra efforts to come to a conclusion on the popularity of Krishna Byre Gowda who is known for humility, simplicity and proactive attitude. It may not be an exaggeration to say Krishna Byre Gowda’s name is known by most of the voters in this assembly constituency. He got elected for the second time as MLA from this constituency.
“We are happy with the developmental works taken by our MLA who is always ready to fix the infrastructure-related problems. He has been doing a commendable work by opening his office here. He has helped many people to get ration cards, Aadhar cards and pension for senior citizens and widows,’’ said G Venkatesh Murthy, a resident of Kodigehalli.
The other interesting thing to be noted here is, Krishna Byre Gowda has managed to increase not only the number of votes he polled but also the margin of votes against his nearest rival in 2008 and 2013.
There are 3,68,251 voters in Bytarayanapura assembly constituency. Among these voters, male voters are more than 20,000 than female voters in this assembly segment. There are 1,93,804 male voters and 1,74,393 are female voters while 54 are others.
Congress candidate Krishna Byre Gowda polled 60,979 votes while his nearest rival BJP candidate A Ravi has succeeded in polling 51,627 votes. Congress candidate has to taste the defeat by a margin of 9,352 votes in 2008. The margin of votes with which Congress candidate Krishna Byregowda defeated the BJP candidate A Ravi in 2013 has increased to 32,400, thus confirming that Byatarayanapura remains as the Congress fortress. Krishna Byre Gowda got 96,125 votes while Ravi has managed to poll 63,725 votes.
“It is not there are no BJP activists in this segment but the problem is that they will become active only during the election time while Congress workers are ever ready to respond to the common man. The other advantage is Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda is easily accessible to the people of this constituency,’’ opines Rame Gowda, a resident of Jakkur.
As far as Bruhat Bengaluru MahanagaraPalike (BBMP) wards are concerned, Byatarayanapura has seven wards – Jakkur, Thanisandra, Bytarayanapura, Kodigehalli, Vidyaranyapura, DoddaBommasandra, and Kuvempunagar. Congress corporators represent four wards – Thanisandra, Byatarayanapura, Kodigehalli, and Kuvempunagar – while BJP corporators represent three wards such as Jakkur, Vidyaranyapura, and DoddaBommasandra in the BBMP Council.
Meanwhile, one cannot ignore the cadre of Janata Dal (Secular) in Bytarayanapura assembly constituency since there are a number of Vokkaliga voters. The popularity of JD(S) and caste factor had made JD(S) candidate to poll 41,360 votes in the Assembly elections held in 2013. If the JD(S) fields a suitable and potential candidate, the candidates of other political parties have to work overtime in the next Assembly elections.
All in all, the mood of the voters seems to be in favour of Congress candidate Krishna Byre Gowda in the next Assembly elections unless and until he commits a big blunder in the next eight months.
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