S T Somashekar, the first-term MLA, is a BSc graduate who represents the Yeshwanthpur constituency from Congress. He is said to be a close confidant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and media reports state that it was he ensured that the Congress BBMP councillors in 2015 and Congress MLAs 2016 were not poached by the opposition during the Mayoral Elections and Rajya Sabha Polls respectively.
The civic problems of Yeshwanthpur however remain basic to include the lack of underground drains, roads and water scarcity. The constituency largely depends on borewells for its water supply which remains a problem. S T Somashekhar was a member of Committee on Government Assurances, House Committee Regarding NICE Project and Joint House Committee (Media)
Myneta profile for Somashekhar
LAD fund usage:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG6SviEY0BY (Source: BPAC)
In the Assembly:
March 22, 2016: Somashekhar requested the government to build skywalk or subways in a particular place in his constituency. The Minister replied that it was already under tendering stage, and necessary steps will be taken.
March 28, 2017: S T Somashekhar spoke in the assembly on the problems of farmers who didn’t have proper farming permissions for their land, in Yelahanka constituency limits.
- Attendance % in Assembly:88%
- Starred questions:34
- Unstarred questions:340
S T Somashekar in the news: A glimpse of what he’s been up to in the last five years
February 12, 2014: MLA S T Somashekar allegdly gave out hundreds of ration cards in a bid to woo voters prior to the Lok Sabha polls.
December 26, 2015: In an interview with The New Indian Express, he claimed to have sanctioned funds to send trucks carrying Cauvery water to the constituency, and Rs 2 crore to repair roads. The MLA defended his work, citing his openness and solution- oriented approach with the residents.
March 5, 2015: The residents of Yeshwanthpur constituency made a presentation on all the civic issues to S T Somashekhar, who heard them all out. He responded by ensuring a drinking-water plant was placed at the entrance of Balaji Layout and released Rs 50 lakh to cover up a dangerous drain near a closeby park.
March 2, 2017: He is among the many ministers vocally backing the cancellation of the Steel Flyover Project after receiving flak from environmentalists and citizen activists.
May 21, 2017: While speaking to the media,the MLA announced he would ensure that within 15 to 20 days the work to lay Cauvery pipes will commence in the constituency. Currently, a survey is underway in Doddabidarakallu for the purpose.
September 26, 2017: Property owners on 325 acres of BDA land asked the Government of Karnataka (GoK) for 60 percent compensation to construct a peripheral ring road, connecting Mysore and Magadi roads. The MLA batted for the residents to receive at least 50 per cent compensation, given similarly to residents in Kempegowda Layout in his constituency.
March 4, 2018: In a survey conducted by DAKSH, S T Somashekhar was ranked in 37th place on performance out of all the 224 MLAs in Karnataka, and surprisingly received the highest rating of 7.9 among Bengaluru legislators.
Politics
June 20, 2016: When the CM changed his cabinet members, the expelled MLA V Srinivasa Prasad was speculated to host a press conference. He was going to announce that followers of excluded MLAs such as ST Somashekhar, H M Revanna and M Krishnappa were upset about the sudden move.
June 22, 2016: Former Housing Minister, M H Ambareesh, resigned from Congress after the unexpected cabinet reshuffle conspicuously left him without a post. The Yeshwanthpur Constituency MLA then expressed concern over the diminishing representation of Vokkaligas, brought to Congress party by the former actor.
June 27, 2016: The CM managed to win back the trust of ‘rebel MLAs’ who felt they had not been given enough importance in the recent cabinet changes.
Accusations
October 22, 2016: Money allocated by the BBMP, state and central government amounting to Rs 819 crore has not been utilized to develop Yeshwantpur constituency, alleged BJP leader N R Ramesh.
February 23, 2018: Disputing on the construction of a wall blocking the road inside the premises of a resident’s land in Thigalarapalya, the MLAs aides allegedly brawled with two labourers working on the site. He dismissed the issue calling it a small matter.