Karnataka assembly polls 2023 | Bengaluru Rural: Neglected swathes, unkept promises to haunt parties

For a small district with only four of the state’s 224 assembly seats, it’s easy to miss Bengaluru Rural in a hurry. However, a closer look at these four seats — Devanahalli, Hoskote, Nelamangal a and Doddaballapur — throws up rather interesting facets, both politically and otherwise.
Given that 22. 5% of its population comprises Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe voters (ST), Devanahalli and Nelamangala come under the reserved category. While JD(S) won these seats in two of the three elections since the last delimitation, Congress has the best o verall performance in the district, relegating BJP to the third place.

Notwithstanding its proximity to Bengaluru, the capital city and the economic mainstay, taluks and gram panchayats in Benga luru Rural have not benefited as expected. For instance, barring the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), no other place in the district receives Cauvery water, even a s the region’s rising land value is something politicians and others see a lot of potential in.
The case in point is Devanahalli. Home to Bengaluru’s gateway, KIA and housing multiple MNCs and other industries at its special economic zones (SEZs), Devanahalli has only seen its farming lose sheen and population neglected over the years. That their hopes of being included in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were dashed and the demand to become the district headquarters put in a cold storage have residents fuming. Though minister incharge MTB Nagaraj has sent a proposal to the government to upgrade Devanahalli into a corporation, by combining the two TMCs of Devanahalli and Vijayapura, the move is yet to see the light of day. Other areas in the constituency, such as Anneshwara and Channarayapatna, and even the place where KIA is located continue to be under GPs.
Paucity of financial resources h as resulted in a lop-sided socio-economic composition for the constituency, whereby KIA has emerged as an islet of opulence with an ocean of deprivation all around. Narayanaswamy LN, the JD(S) MLA from Devanahalli, said: “We’re anticipating (HD) Kumaraswamy to become the next chief minister. I’ve already spoken to him and my poll plank will be to accord Devanaha lli the status of a district headquarters. ”
Ashwathnarayana Gowda, BJP general secretary, argues that his party stands a good chance as it has understood the issues and the expectations of the public. “We are mindful of the promises we’ve made. We’ll win and fulfil the demands of the people,” he said. Congress, however, appears tobe struggling a bit with the infusion of former Kolar MP KH Muniyappa, who is the party’s candidate, while AC Srinivas, who had lost in Mahadevapura in 2018, has been working on the ground after being promised a ticket by the part y leadership. Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh, while admitting that Muniyappa’s entry has created confusion and division within party ranks, said: “There are issues, but the high comman d will decide. ” In Hoskote, while BJP’s MTB Nagaraj, a Congress defector, had lost the bypoll, incumbent Sharath Bacchegowda crossed over to Congress, thereby compounding the worries for the saffron brigade. The fact that Sharath’s father Bacchegowda and uncle Chikkegowda had won from the seat multiple times will keep BJP on tenterhooks.
Admitting that the BJP is on a slippery slope in this constituency, Ashwathnarayan Gowda said: “We made a mistake. We should’ve retained Sharath by negotiating with him and made him the MP candidate. It’s our loss. ” Meanwhile, Nagaraj, who has revolted against the BJP recently, is lobbying for his son Purushotham, but the party is yet to decide on a candidate.
In Doddaballapur, held by Congress since 2004 when it wrested it from the BJP, JD(S) is banking on anti-incumbency and hoping that its candidate B Munegowda will win.
While the BJP is walking a tightrope in Hoskote, it is hopeful of victory in Nelamangala, currently held by JD(S).