He drove into Chaithanya Samarpan Layout at Kadugodi, around 5 kms north of Whitefield, in an entourage of three vehicles. All of the vehicles were the bulky SUV-types. The owners association had organised a meeting on Sunday (April 28) morning.

Pic: acsrinivasa.com.

A C Srinivasa is the Congress’ candidate for the Mahadevpura constituency in north-eastern Bengaluru. He is the local man who rose from the grassroots to district panchayat president. His immovable properties are worth Rs.83 crores. He is clearly a rich landowner. He was Zilla panchayat president till 2011 and is currently Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee secretary.

A small group of residents at the Samarpan community were joined by a management committee member at the Sai Garden apartments and another resident from 10 Downing.

Subramaniam Vincent, editor of Citizen Matters did some of the facilitation. Questions came from everyone present, including Citizen Matters.

What do you think, are the problems faced by your constituency?

Water, roads and drains, parking, and traffic-related pollution are the major problems I see in this constituency.

What have you done in your constituency that qualifies you to be its representative?

I am known as a good administrator when president of Bangalore Zilla (District) Panchayat. I am not corrupt. I have not taken any money from contractors and engineers. I have helped in the building of hospitals and veterinary hospitals in this area.

Why did you enter politics? What is the motive?

I was not interested in politics. I became a gram panchayat member by accident in 1999 when people asked me to contest elections. Since then I rose through the ranks from member to panchayat president all the way to zilla panchayat president.

Where do you see yourself in next five years?

I want to serve one term as MLA first. Give me a chance and I will show what a non-corrupt person can do here. It is not possible to fix previous illegalities. But I can stop future illegalities because I don’t take money from engineers or builders. There are plenty of plans still pending for permissions in this area. There are builders wanting to build large housing projects in 30-feet roads.

Give us some details about your family.

My wife is a homemaker. I have one daughter who is has passed Ist PUC and has gone into PUC-II this year. One son has passed 9th standard and entered 10th standard. My father was a government school headmaster.

Tell us about your profession and key sources of income.

I own land and commercial buildings on my land in Chokkanahalli area. My commercial buildings provide me Rs.30 lakhs per month as rent.

Describe your party roles and activities/history.

I was the block treasurer for Congress at Byatarayanpura. I am also a KPCC member. I am now KPCC state secretary. I am also KPCC in charge for Tumkur.

What is your budget for the campaign?

I am spending my own money for my campaign. I am not holding any large functions. I am going door-to-door and meeting other apartments. I am meeting four apartments in Bellandur today after this meeting. Congress party gives some funds.

Give us three reasons why people should vote for you.

I am not corrupt. I do not take money from builders and engineers. Today there is corruption from bottom to top in government. Engineers are often the ones who give permission for illegal constructions and take money from builders and share it with politicians (MLAs) also. I have not taken a single rupee. So builders cannot influence me.

I can therefore direct officials to not allow illegal constructions. If I do not take money from them, they cannot influence me are usually afraid of me. This has happened when I was ZP president. When I used to go around, engineers were usually worried.

What if there is pressure from a minister?

I try to convince senior people.

Will you disclose all expenses for local projects in your constituency using your MLA funds on a website?

Yes, I will.

Do you support the abuse of power to allot G-category sites? If you come to power, will you ensure that allotment of G-category sites is not misused?

G-category site must be given only to people of eminence and public service to the country. It cannot be given to other people. It must not also be given to people who already have property in their name. I do not support discretionary allotment of G-category sites.

If elected, will you support commercial or residential development in areas where there is neither BWSSB water supply or bore well permissions?

There is a problem. The BWSSB’s NOC approach to allow builders to develop in areas where there is no water is wrong. There is not enough water to handle growth of Bangalore. This is an important point for the government to note. I support stopping of permissions for new development in areas where there is no water. The same problem applies to roads. There is already enough traffic and congestion. There are not enough resources in Bangalore for the existing population.

What is happening to the peripheral ring road that is supposed to pass through this (Whitefield Hoskote Road, near Kannamangala) area?

I support the PRR. I have 3.5 acres of my land that will go to the PRR. But the BJP government wanted to compensate land-owners at 2005 rates. Land owners including people like me are asking for present rates.

But PRR is needed. It will ensure that the commercial truck traffic going to other cities will not come into Bangalore city. That will take out some of the traffic and pollution.

The Congress government if it comes to power, will not offer 2005 rates. We will give landowners current rates.

There is an criminal case with six IPC charges you have disclosed in your affidavit. (charge related to Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (IPC Section-420), charge related to Forgery for purpose of cheating (IPC Section-468), charge related to Criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent (IPC Section-409), charge related to forgery (IPC Section-465), charge related to Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record (IPC Section-471), charge related to Punishment of criminal conspiracy (IPC Section-120B))

What happened here? 

Yes. I had given land to a society and there was a dispute between the members of the society. In the case that one member filed against another, they included me and charged me this way. This happened in 2003. But in 2009 the case against me was quashed, so there is no conviction.

Chaithanya Samarpan owners and other gated communities in this area are currently caught in a problem with both the Sheegehalli Panchayat and the BDA asking for property and willing to issue Khatas. What is your advice?

Panchayat has to collect the property tax, not BDA.

The process is as follows. The BDA has to issue first khata for each property. Owners have to take that Khata and register with panchayat. Panchayat creates an entry in their register with BDA Khata and issues a fresh khata confirming the transfer. After that property tax is paid to panchayat.

In return for these taxes, panchayat is supposed to maintain roads, drains, street lighting, and water supply. Panchayat areas that don’t get water from the BWSSB usually get water supply from borewells.

What about encroachments? There is a temple encroachment blocking drainage work here.

Panchayat should remove encroachments, yes. There is no other option.⊕