This by-election, ask questions to the ex-MLAs who are back for your vote

by December 2, 2019 Governance
Four assembly constituencies in Bengaluru are going into the bypolls this week. And in three of them, disqualified MLAs are contesting again, albeit from a different party

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.

Sections:

About Manasi Paresh Kumar

Manasi Paresh Kumar was Engagement Editor for Bengaluru Citizen Matters.
Read more by Manasi Paresh Kumar

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Public gatherings in Tamil Nadu: SOPs must be followed in full spirit for safety

by February 26, 2026 Governance
New SOPs in Tamil Nadu mandate safety measures at mass events, placing responsibility on organisers to protect participants.

In a country like ours, where mass gatherings of various kinds are an integral part of life, we keep hearing of stampedes invariably leading to casualties, every now and then. Last year saw two such events, which made national headlines and shook the nation, one a sports victory parade gone sour in Bengaluru and the other, a stampede at a political road show in Karur, Tamil Nadu. The year before, Chennai witnessed huge crowds at an IAF show on the Marina Beach, which led to five deaths and more than a hundred hospitalisations due to heat-related issues and chaos arising…

Continue reading

Similar Story

The good news: Bengaluru’s unified transport vision. The bad: BMLTA rules auto-approve Tunnel Road

by February 2, 2026 Governance
The proposed rules for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority let major projects like the Tunnel Road through without a formal review.

The Karnataka government has notified the draft Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) rules — over three years after the BMLTA Act came into being — and has invited suggestions/objections by February 2nd, 2026.   The BMLTA was meant to be a unified transport body to regulate, monitor, develop and plan urban mobility in Bengaluru. The government had failed to constitute the Authority within the statutory timeline of six months. Now, the much-delayed draft rules propose to strip away all forms of transparency and accountability! One controversial clause (Rule 24) proposes to grant deemed approval to projects initiated between 2022…

Continue reading