While most Bengaluru city MLAs, cutting across parties, had been hoping that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls would not be held before Assembly elections next year, former councillors of the civic body welcomed the decision of the High Court of Karnataka setting December 31, 2022, as the deadline to complete the elections.
Speaking to The Hindu, Abdul Wajeed, a former Congress councillor, said, “I welcome the court’s order which will pave way for the much-awaited election for the BBMP. Without the council, people in the city are facing a lot of issues. People don’t know whom to contact whenever they face problems.”
Mr. Wajeed also hoped that the government and election commission will take the directions of the court seriously and announce the dates for the election soon. “Congress has already started to prepare for the polls. BBMP pre-poll preparatory meetings with party workers has already been done in all Assembly constituencies,” he added.
The ruling BJP councillors also welcomed the order. Padmanabha Reddy, former BJP councillor, said that the BJP government is ready to conduct the elections. Another leader said that the saffron party had already done a series of meeting with senior leaders, including party national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, on the civic body polls. He said the party plans to communicate to people the work the Union and State governments are doing for the people in Bengaluru through the metro, infrastructure and other projects through vision documents once the elections are announced, he said.
The recent floods in Bengaluru, following heavy rains, had brought back focus on the need for elected representatives. Many citizens had said they were not aware whom to contact during distress with no councillors in place.
