Bengaluru polls: Cong lost grace too?

prahlad

Prahlad Rao | August 25, 2015


#bengaluru   #congress   #bjp   #bbmp   #elections   #narendra modi  

In a democracy political parties lose elections and some are won. And in a century of its existence the Congress party has many humiliating defeats and unbelievable victories. However, the party does not seem to have taken its defeat in elections to Bengaluru municipal corporation in right spirit.

The BJP won 100 of the BBMP's 198 wards, the Congress 76 and the Janata Dal (Secular) 14 in the polling that took place on Saturday and whose results came out today.

Karnataka Congress president G Parameshwara today called the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) poll results very disappointing. This remark is well within the parameters of politically correct reactions. Next he said ‘this verdict will impact city’s development.” This comment is totally unacceptable and politically incorrect. Congress is the ruling party and it controls money and the threat could be bad for the city.

We understand his disappointment, but it is wrong to threaten the citizens of Bengaluru in such manner.  The Congress should also take note of the demographic numbers in the IT capital of the nation. Bengaluru now has nearly 80% non-Kannadigas and they come from all over India. If the party is going to be vengeful and blocks the city’s development, the consequences would be felt in India.

Bengaluru can also trigger social media backlash and the Congress has shown that it is very poor in handling the perception of the virtual world.

For the record, this is the third big victory for the BJP this month after it won civic elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

It was noted by prime minister Narendra Modi. "After MP & Rajasthan, BBMP poll results complete a hat-trick of wins for BJP. This is a win for politics of development & good governance," tweeted Modi as his party celebrated in Bengaluru.

The PM should also feel happy because for the first time, 50 per cent seats were reserved for the women candidates.

There was big buzz but the elections saw less than 50 per cent voter turnout on Saturday. Many young professionals had contested this time and Bengaluru faces big problems like traffic, bad roads, poor garbage disposal and polluted lakes.

Meanwhile, a visibly disturbed Karnataka Congress leader and chief minister Siddaramaiah said "I own responsibility for the performance of the Congress in the civic polls. The BJP was in power in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council for the last five years. Their rule was marred by corruption and scams. But people still voted for them."

Pointing out that the BJP had lost the New Delhi Assembly election though it had come to power in the centre, Siddaramaiah, who was in Delhi yesterday, said the loss at the civic polls did not reflect on his government. "The BJP lost miserably in the New Delhi Assembly polls. Do you think it was a referendum of the NDA government at the Centre? Elections to urban local bodies are completely different involving local issues," he maintained.

The chief minister, however, admitted that his party did not get the campaign right. "I feel we failed to convince the voters why they should have voted us to power. We did not effectively communicate our achievements and plans for Bengaluru," he said.

Effective communication is different than miscommunication. The Congress should remember this.

Comments

 

Other News

India’s freedom struggle was shaped by wider Asian political thought

As we mark 80th anniversary of independence, ‘Asianism and the Fall of Empire’ (HarperCollins India) by historian Mithi Mukherjee offers a new perspective on Ind

What is colonialism? A relook at modern history

The Chromatic World Order: The Fiction That Rules Our World  By Sajid Mohamed Aakar Books  

Monsoon session of parliament adjourns sine die

The Monsoon Session, 2026 of Parliament which commenced on July 20 was adjourned sine die on Thursday. The session provided 19 sittings spread over a period of 25 days.   During the session 11 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and 2 Bills were introduced in Rajya Sabha. 12 B

Consumer Justice at a Crossroads

Over the past four decades, India`s consumer protection landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. What began with the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as a simple mechanism to empower ordinary citizens has evolved into a comprehensive framework capable of addressing challenges ranging from mislea

Doctors, experts call for ban on junk food ads, mandate warning labels

More than 30 doctors, medical scientists and public health professionals have urged the government to take decisive action against the aggressive advertising and marketing of junk food, calling for a watershed ban on advertisements for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and ultra-processed foods (UPF

Asiatic Lion population rises from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025

On World Lion Day 2026, environment, forest and climate change Minister  Bhupender Yadav celebrated India’s remarkable journey in lion conservation and reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to protecting wildlife and biodiversity.   In a post on soc

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter