Prime Minister-targeted troika retains seats as parties bank on winnability

BENGALURU: Reiterating that city voters behave no differently than those in the rest of Karnataka — with caste, community and other political factors defining their choices — Bengaluru elected most of the familiar faces, reposing faith in several incumbents.

Bengaluru chose the “infamous trio” of KJ George, Roshan Baig and NA Haris, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “were defaming Bengaluru”.

BJP national president Amit Shah had pledged to free Bengaluru of the three leaders. “Law and order has been abysmal and Siddaramaiah has surrendered to the troika of (KJ) George, (NA) Haris and Roshan Baig, and has handed over Bengaluru to them. They may be contesting three seats but for us, they are present in all 224 as the symbol of lawlessness,” he had said.

While the Congress had criticised BJP for making personal attacks, the trio itself had refrained from commenting on the issue.

On Tuesday, Baig, who was elected for a third consecutive term from Shivajinagar, told TOI: “We respect the position of Prime Minister, and it was unbecoming of Modi to take names of public representatives without any basis. Our victory, while vindicating us, also shows how people have rejected the PM’s claim.”

Baig has been an MLA from Bengaluru seven times, while it is the third for Haris. George has also won for the third consecutive time from Sarvagnanagar; he had been victorious from Bharatinagar on two occasions.

It is not just the trio that Bengaluru picked. Congress’ Ramalinga Reddy, who has never lost since 1989, Krishna Byre Gowda who has managed a hat-trick in Byatarayanapura and BJP’s R Ashoka, who’s a six-time winner, are also among those elected.

The winners’ list features other names like S Suresh Kumar from BJP and M Krishnappa of Congress.

“It is a clear indication that all three parties didn’t want to take any risk. They trusted their tested faces and it seems to have paid off yet again,” opined L Vasudevamurthy, a political analyst.

This aside, Bengaluru also re-elected two JD(S) rebel candidates, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan from Chamarajpet and R Akhanda Srinivasamurthy from Pulakeshinagar, denying HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy their vengeance. Both these candidates have also witnessed multiple victories.