Rajaji Nagar was among the first few ‘planned areas’ in the city. The size of this constituency is about 5.5 sq km. After remaining a traditional, residential area for long, there has been haphazard development here. Many residential areas have commercial developments now; unplanned growth and illegal buildings is an issue.
This area has many educational institutions, hospitals and temples. Rajaji Nagar Industrial Area houses many large and small industries.
The constituency is BJP-dominated – six out of seven wards here have BJP corporators. The wards here are Dayananda Nagar, Prakash Nagar, Rajaji Nagar, Basaveshwar Nagar, Kamakshipalya, Shivanagara and Sriramamandir. Of these, only Dayananda Nagar has a Congress corporator.
Rajaji Nagar, Basaveshwar Nagar and Sriramamandir wards are better developed and have more of middle class population. However, water shortage is a problem here. "Rajaji Nagar 5th and 6th blocks suffer from acute water shortage now. Residents have to buy tanker water every 4-5 days by paying Rs 400-500," says Ravinandan B B of the civic group Save Bangalore Committee.
Dayanand Nagar and Prakash Nagar wards have many low income neighbourhoods and lack basic facilities. Water shortage, clogged drains and poor sanitation persist here. These wards report high number of dengue cases annually. Many roads, including main roads, are in poor condition.
In Rajaji Nagar 6th block, cross roads have not been asphalted for the last 2-3 years. Many roads have been dug up for Metro rail works for long, and have not been repaired. Recently BMRC (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation) itself asphalted the Mahakavi Kuvempu road following public pressure.
Dug up roads, along with chaotically parked vehicles and encroachment of footpaths by street vendors, have been obstructing traffic. Old and damaged sewage lines is another problem in the constituency – in many areas, sewage water leaks out from damaged pipes.
There had been demand from citizens to improve Okalipuram Road which leads to Majestic railway station. According to a Times of India report, foundation stone for this project was laid in December. With this, Okalipuram Road will become an eight-lane corridor, which is supposed to make the commute from Rajajinagar to Majestic easier.
– Avinash, engineer at IAF
A study by India Governs Research Institute states that Rajaji Nagar is among the constituencies that got the least amount of education grants from the state government from 2008 to 2012. The average grants for School Development and Teaching Learning Material (TLM) was over Rs 1 crore for constituencies across the state.
Sindhanur constituency had got the highest amount of grants – Rs 3 crore. But in Rajaji Nagar constituency, only Rs 9 lakh was granted. But the grant per child has increased in Rajaji Nagar – from Rs 50 in 2008-09 to Rs 205 in 2011-12.
– Amjad, salesman
The positives are that the constituency has added six new government schools and improved the student-teacher ratio. The ratio was 31 in 2008-09, and went down to 25 by 2011-12. Also, only 47% of government schools had toilets for girls in 2008-09, and this had come up to 95% in 2011-12.
Incumbant MLA:
There were 1.8 lakh electors from this constituency in 2008, but only 52.66% of them had voted. Suresh Kumar had won with over 51% of polled votes (49,655), with a margin of 14,660 votes. This time, there are 1.75 lakh enrolled voters.
– Tulsi, Orion Mall coordinator
Suresh Kumar is one of the few ministers with a clean image in the BJP government. He held the portfolios of urban development (excluding Bangalore city, but including BWSSB), and law and parliamentary affairs. He is a law graduate and three-time MLA.
Roads in Rajaji Nagar have been dug up because of Metro rail works. File Pic (representational picture)
He had spent Rs 2.7 crore from his MLA Local Area Development (LAD) funds as of mid-February 2013, as per RTI information. MLAs get LAD funds of Rs 5 crore overall. He has set up a dialysis centre in Rajaji Nagar 2nd block using his LAD funds – the centre gives dialysis to BPL patients for free, and to other patients at low cost.
He has initiated discussion on the BMRGA (Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Governance Act) which proposes greater decentralisation, longer term for Mayor, and formation of Metropolitan Planning Committee for the city.
He was accused of getting a G-category site even as he had an existing site. Kumar submitted his resignation to the then-Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda post this allegation, but withdrew it after the state Attorney General spoke in his favour.
Currently there is a court case against him, filed by the BMTF (Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force). The case is that Kumar had denotified land that was meant for housing for economically weaker sections, to favour an individual. There are eight IPC counts against him in this case, which includes three major ones (IPC 406, 409 and 420 – criminal breach of trust, criminal breach of trust by public servant, and cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property, respectively).
In this election, he is facing his colleague in cabinet, Shobha Karandlaje who is contesting from the KJP. Click here to read the interview with Shobha Karandlaje.
List of candidates -election 2013
| Candidate Age |
Party – Symbol | Total assets/liabilities and Cases | Details |
| S Suresh Kumar 57 |
BJP – Lotus | Assets – Rs 2.6 cr Liabilities – Rs 12.7 lakhs Accused in one case – IV Addl CMM Court Crime No. 194/2012 dated 3.11.2012 filed by BMTF police station. 13(1)(c)(d) read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act. WP No. 847/2012. Stay has been granted by High Court in the WP filed by Sri K Narahari and others – IPC sections 166, 218, 406, 409, 420, 120(b), 149, 34 applicable. |
Ph: 9591814041, 080-23482346, 080-23482347 nimmasuresh.2009@gmail.com Wife is Chief Editor of Cine Jossh Monthly Magazine. Has a daughter. Education: BSc, LLB from Bangalore University, 1980 No.35, 7th A Main Road, Sharadha Colony, Basaveshwaranagara, Bangalore – 79 |
| Shobha Karandlaje 46 |
KJP – Coconut | Assets – Rs 6.8 cr Liabilities – Rs 3.8 cr |
Ph: 9448087039 Info@shobhakarandlaje.com Occupation: Business and social work Education: Master of Social Work from Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore University; MA in Sociology from Mysore University No.5, 9th Cross, Kumarapark West, Railway Parallel Road, Bangalore -20 |
| R Manjula Naidu 49 |
INC – Hand | Assets – Rs 1.17 cr Liabilities – Rs 5 lakh |
Ph: 9886498675 Occupation – Industrialist. Sheis currently Chairperson of the Karnataka Mahila Congress Committee, since the last four years Education: MA, MBA, LLB She was a former corporator and a former Deputy Mayor of BBMP in 1993-94 (confirm). She was former Chairman of Balabhavan and Vanivilas (?) Husband owns a business. No.4, 3rd Main, Sampangiramanagara, Bangalore -27 |
| S T Anand 52 |
JD(S) | Assets – Rs 92.7 cr Liabilities – Rs 7.88 cr |
Ph: 9341225182 ragavendra4473@gmail.com Education: Higher primary school Occupation: Business – owns a theatre and a hall in the city. First-time candidate, has no prior experience in politics. No.45, 1st Main Road, 6th Stage, Mahaganapathinagar, Rajajinagar, Bangalore – 10 |
| Rupa Rani 45 |
Lok Satta – Whistle | Assets – Rs 59.35 lakhs Liabilities – Rs 50,440 |
Ph: 9740710359 ruparani4mla@gmail.com Occupation: Pharmacist, part owner of a medical shop. Education: PUC; Diploma in Pharmacy in 1991 from SJRC College, Sheshadripuram. No.17/1, Preethi Residency, 1st Cross, Ganesh Block, Sulthanpalya Main Road, Bangalore -32 |
| Vishwanath G P | Nationalist Congress Party – Clock |
No.523, 8th cross, 4th Main, Jaimaruthinagara, Nandini Layout, Bangalore – 96 |
|
| Soundaryag | BSP – Elephant | No.424, 14th C.Cross, 2nd Stage, Mahalakshmipuram, Bangalore – 86 |
|
| S Anitha Gowda | Bharatiya Praja Paksha – Grapes |
No.5/1, 1st Floor, 4th Cross, Manjunatha Layout, Booopasandra Main Road, Sanjaynagara, Bangalore – 94 |
|
| K T Nagabhushan | JD(U) – Arrow | No.a-11, G.E.F Block, 2nd main, Industrial Town, Rajajinagara, Bangalore – 10 |
|
| Prathibha Kumari B S | Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) – Candles |
No.41, 3rd Cross Road, Malleshwaram, Bangalore–03 |
|
| Muniswamy K | AIADMK – Two Leaves | No.23, 9th Main, 2nd Stage, Binni Layout, Vijayanagara,Bangalore -40 |
|
| Lakshmana Shetru H | National People’s Party – Book |
No.841, Nagarabhavi, 2nd Stage, 9th Block, Bangalore – 72 | |
| Sharana Goud B | Pyramid Party of India – Television |
No.16, 8th Main Road, 15th A Cross, Bandappa Garden, Muthyalanagara, Bangalore – 54 |
|
| K V Srinivasappa | Jai Vijay Bharathi Party – Auto rickshaw |
No.24, 1st Main Road, J.C Nagara, 3rd Stage, Basaveshwaranagara, Bangalore – 79 |
|
| S Shobha | Bharthiya Janata Dal – Telephone |
No.570, 63rd Cross, 5th Block, Rajajinagara, Bangalore – 10 |
|
| R Harisharadya 46 |
BSRC – Ceiling fan | Assets – Rs 1.02 cr | Ph: 9845832799 aradhya333@hotmail.com Occupation: Self-employed Education: BA in 1989 No.39, 1th Floor, 7th B Main, Jayanagar 4th Block, Bangalore – 11 |
There are nine independent candidates too, taking the total number of contestants to 25. To view the symbols and serial names of all candidates in Rajajinagar, click here.⊕