Modi Roadshow: BJP pins hope on lucky charm Bengaluru, eyes 20/32 Assembly seats

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By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, May 6: Bengaluru may tilt the scale in favour of the party forming the government in Karnataka decisively with its kitty of 32 Assembly seats. Unlike other regions in Karnataka, Bengaluru is truly a cosmopolitan city, with a few seats even decisively dominated by Brahmins, while the IT professionals and migrants also hold sway in several constituencies.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took out his roadshow in two of three Parliamentary constituencies from Bengaluru. He will again be seen in action in the roadshow on Sunday. Modi covered Bengaluru South and Bengaluru Central Parliamentary constituency on Saturday, and he will be seen in Bengaluru North on Sunday for a curtailed duration as part of the plan to not inconvenience the students appearing for the NEET examinations,” said a senior BJP functionary.

While Coalition government had come to power after the failed bid of BS Yediyurappa to prove majority in the Assembly, the subsequent Operation Kamala, which again brought the BJP to power, had a Bengaluru connection. “Of the 18 rebel Congress MLAs, six came from Bengaluru. Thus, the city played a key role in the formation of the BJP government in Karnataka. Once more Bengaluru is holding the ace with 32 Assembly seats, and the BJP is hoping to win at least 20 on May 13 when the verdict will be out,” added the BJP functionary.

Out of the 32 Assembly seats, the BJP had won only 12 and with sex rebel Congress MLAs, who won the byelections afterwards, the saffron outfit claims to have gained strength in Bengaluru. “The interesting part of Bengaluru is the most of the sitting MLAs are political veterans and they have been winning elections for several terms. This is also the case with the 12 remaining MLAs of Congress, who have all been repeated by the Opposition party,” said a Karnataka-based political observer.

Bengaluru truly represents a cross-section of the society. Jayanagar Assembly seat, which the BJP had lost in the last election, is dominated by Brahmins. Pulkesh Nagar and Chamrajpet Assembly seats have sizable Muslim voters. Mahadevpura Assembly seat predominantly has IT workers in the constituency.

“The migrant workers are also spread across Bengaluru. Besides, the city is truly cosmopolitan, and the caste factor is not as dominant as is the case in other regions of Karnataka,” added the political observer.