The first term MLA from Mahalakshmi Layout won his election on a JD(S) ticket. In 2017, he was suspended from the party along with his party colleagues from the city, Zameer Ahmed and Srinivas Murthy for cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha Election in 2016. He was brought back into the party’s fold after an apology to the party disciplinary committee.
He began his political career as a municipal corporator from Vrushabhavathi ward. The seat was later won by his wife, Hemalatha Gopalaiah, who was elected as the 50th Deputy Mayor of Bangalore. The MLA has maintained a low profile and is not known for easy accessibility to his electorate through social media unlike many of the other city MLAs.
Affidavits:
According to his affidavit, Gopalaiah’s income dropped from Rs 9,55,500 in 2013 to Rs 6,31,812 in 2018. His wife’s income rose from Rs 4,19,000 in 2013 to Rs 5,78,423 in 2018.
His movable assets were valued at Rs 96,17,783 in 2013, now they are at Rs. 49,26,174. His wife’s movable assets drastically rose from Rs 1,81,93,891 in 2013, to Rs.4,36,57,508 according to his 2018 affidavit.
His immovable assets are valued at Rs 2,96,80,000 and his wife’s assets are valued at Rs 2,87,93,000 according to his 2018 affidavit.
He has liabilities of Rs 1,13,17,550 which includes a loan of Rs.37,15,340 from his wife. His wife has liabilities of Rs 2,61,91,877 according to his 2018 affidavit, including the money given to Gopalaiah.
Gopalaiah in the Assembly:
- Attendance % in Assembly:85
- Starred questions:39
- Unstarred questions:663
(Source: Bengaluru Political Action Committee)
Gopalaiah in the news
July 5, 2016: Gopalaiah raised the question of traffic jams in Bangalore city affecting school children and patients, and asked the measures taken to control traffic in Bengaluru. G Parameshwar, then-Home Minister replied to him in detail, giving a picture of the measures being taken, with statistics.
February 7, 2017: Gopalaiah sought to know the steps being taken for women and public safety in the city, and lack of police staff in the city. Home Minister Parameshwar replied with details of police recruitment.
January 17, 2014: The Mahalakshmi Layout MLA, Gopalaiah, agreed to help the residents of Nandini Layout legalise their land under the Akrama-Sakrama scheme. He said he would ensure the BDA’s proposal was approved by Cabinet, for the BBMP to start its legal procedure.
July 17, 2015: During a discussion on curbing the rising cases of dengue, the former health minister UT Khader was questioned by the opposition. The MLA said there were 15 deaths caused by dengue in his constituency alone.
August 6, 2015: Gopalaiah’s wife,SP Hemalatha, contested elections, for the corporator’s post from Vrushabhavathi ward.
September 11, 2015: SP Hemalatha was elected as the deputy mayor after securing 131 of the 260 votes.
June 13, 2016: A show-cause notice was given to the 7 rebel MLAs leaving the JD(S). Gopalaiah aggressively protested against them at a party convention.
July 12, 2016: Mahalakshmi layout MLA Gopalaiah, wrote to the Home Minister, asking if a seperate compartment was being reserved for women, as they were finding it difficult to travel on the metro. George replied, stating that he would look into adding 3 to 6 extra coaches in the future, with one coach exclusively for women passengers.
August 21, 2016: Speaking at a press conference, the MLA said that Rs 50 crore was kept aside by the BBMP to develop his constituency into a model ward.
February 8, 2017: MLA Gopalaiah posed a question to the Home Minister regarding the rising crimes against women, to which he got a reply that sexual offenders will be booked under the Goonda Act.
February 21, 2017: The MLA went for the inspection of the proposed 11 km corridor connecting Rajajinagar, NICE road, and highways towards Mysuru, Tumkuru and Magadi, costing Rs 90 crore.
August 3, 2017: When the JD(S)’s Namma Appaji Canteen opened, he announced that a branch would be opened in his constituency in one and a half months.
August 17, 2017: Gopalaiah did not follow through his original plan to join the Congress along with Zameer Ahmed Khan and Akhanda Srinivasmurthy. He apologised to the party and remained in the party.
October 14, 2017: The JD(S) offered one lakh compensation to the victims of the families severely affected by torrential rains.
November 16, 2017: Gopalaiah requested the transport minister to provide a rebate to senior citizens on bus tickets, however the KSRTC declined after incurring severe losses.
March 22, 2018: K Gopalaiah, if re-elected, has promised to build walls over the drainage network in the area. Half of the work is already completed according to him, and he said that desilting work will also be completed.