On December 5th, by-elections will be held in four assembly constituencies in Bengaluru – Yeshwanthpur, KR Puram, Mahalakshmi Layout and Shivajinagar. In the first three of these, disqualified MLAs are returning as candidates, albeit from a different party. Former Congress MLAs S T Somshekar and Basavaraj Byrathi, and former JD(S) MLA K Gopalaiah, are now contesting as BJP candidates.

They are coming back to you one and half years after you elected them. I wish I could tell you what development plan they have for your constituency. But I just couldn’t find anything on it except political statements. Yes, these by-elections are about politics. The BJP needs to win seven of the 15 seats to get a majority in the assembly.

But remember, this election is primarily about you, the voter.

Ask these three candidates – what did they do in the one-and-half years they were your MLA? Last year they came to you on one party’s manifesto, and now they are asking for your vote based on a different party’s manifesto. Ask them why you should trust them again? Do they have a development plan for your constituency? Point to issues in your neighbourhood. Ask them to suggest solutions. Evaluate and then vote.

Find more information on them and other candidates in our by-election page.