Chamarajpet is a constituency of dualities. Chamarajpet ward - Bengaluru's oldest planned enclave - sits pretty with its 'vataras' (tenements) and agraharas (old Brahmin settlements) but over 22 slums punctuate the six remaining wards.
A host of institutions, including the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, make it a hub of education and informed discourse but a series of incidents - the 1980 Eidgah Maidan violence over Bakrid and Eid celebrations,
1991 Cauvery riots and
1992 Babri Masjid violence - has drawn a line between communities.
Known for leaders like TR Shamanna and VS Krishna Iyer, it has become a constituency that is won or lost depending on a candidate's rapport with his community.
The indicators point to a straight fight between
Congress and JD(S). Having drawn
BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan to its side from JD(S), Congress is confident. JD(S), on the other hand, pins its hopes on
Altaf Khan who migrated from Congress. As the two fight for Muslim votes, which constitute more than 25% (80,000-plus) of the 2.3-lakh electorate,
BJP's M Lakshminarayana, considered an outsider, has the uphill task of changing the narrative from community-based politics to development.
Chamarajpet has its share of problems - lack of hygiene, infrastructure and scarcity of water - which have lingered for nearly two decades.
BJP's strategy is to call out the lack of development in the area, making slums the moot point, and focus on increasing crime. BJP also hopes to focus on consolidating the non-Muslim votes, divided between the scheduled castes (60,000-plus), Vokkaligas and Kurubas (about 9,000 each). The saffron party believes the 5,000-odd Brahmin and Lingayat votes will come its way. But neither Zameer nor Altaf is worried.
While residents say Zameer, whom they have voted to office thrice, has always been elusive and makes only special appearances, he is touring the state and says he'll return to Chamarajpet only on the last day of campaigning.
JD(S) and BJP accuse Zameer of being communal and using his money and muscle power to win. "Most people don't know where Zameer lives. He hasn't done as much work in the entire constituency despite winning thrice, as much as I've managed in my ward (Jagajeevanram Nagar)," says Altaf, whose wife is the sitting corporator of Jagajeevanram Nagar.
Zameer says he will quit politics if his victory margin is less than 50,000 votes. "Somebody can win on sympathy from a community or any other factor once, but to win again and again is possible only if you perform," Zameer says. "Altaf may think he is the local boy but when he contested as an independent, he managed only 59 votes. But from winning by 3,000 votes the first time, my margin grew to more than 20,000 the second time and crossed 30,000 in 2013."
