Series: Lok Sabah Elections 2014

Since they have been asked, let me put down my answers to these questions for the record: Why Modi? Why this self-inflicted - and, presumably, on others - two-month personal campaign? Why FB? How did it go? What next? But first, why me? I'm political. I'm consciously political while in conversation, staging a play, writing for the screen or my newspaper column, and even inside the classroom. This means my social life is completely boring to normal people, by normal standards. I keep meeting the same friends of a small personal group, which is often fragmented because even these friends…

Prakash Belawadi. Pic courtesy: Abhinaya Taranga Prakash Belawadi is an artiste and a multi-faceted person who has been working in the fields of arts, culture and media. He is active in the intellectual circles of Bengaluru. He was in the Lok Satta party and contested BBMP elections in 2010. In 2014 Parliamentary elections, he was seen supporting BJP through his Facebook posts. Citizen Matters spoke to Prakash Belawadi, to explore what he, as a supporter of the party in the power in the centre, would expect the government to do. Here are the excerpts: What should be the priority of…

  Elections are over, and every political leader is in an introspective mode. Citizen Matters spoke to Prithvi Reddy, leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Karnataka, to understand his views on the results and the way forward for the party in Bengaluru. What is your take on the election results? I don’t think there is much to be said. It has been nothing short of a tidal wave or tsunami. It just washed away everything in sight, and that includes bad politics and good politics. And I think we need to recognise it and first congratulate the BJP-led NDA.…

Voters have given their verdict. BJP has once again made a clean sweep in Bengaluru, repeating the 2009 Parliamentary election pattern. However, there are some differences this time. We take a look at the numbers: Bangalore South Ananth Kumar won the seat for the sixth time comfortably, with a margin of over 2.2 lakhs (56.9% of total polled votes). Nandan Nilekani got a sizeable number of votes (36.4% of the total polled votes), but it wasn’t enough to propel him to victory. The takeaway is this: The competition was fierce and limited to BJP and Congress, with very few votes…

As the city gears up to welcome new Members of Parliament, we take a peek at the statistics and poll predictions to see how has Bangalore voted in the past, and who might win the race in Bangalore this time. Our focus is on the three urban constituencies - Bangalore South, North and Central. 2009 - the honeymoon effect In 2009, the state was being governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the scams hadn’t hit the government yet. Bangalore’s 28 constituencies had 18 BJP MLAs. The sense of euphoria and what the experts call “the honeymoon effect” swept…

Voting percentage for Bangalore was 56.47, 55.7 and 55.69 for Bengaluru North, Central and South respectively, while the state average was 67.28%, in parliamentary elections. What does this project? While everybody is cribbing about Bangalore’s voter percentage and “urban voters’ apathy,” it may not be what it looks like. For example, have you seen anyone around you who did not vote? If not, who are these 44 people out of 100 who did not vote in Bangalore? Don’t you think there is more to the voting percentage story? In 2010, Citizen Matters had written about the reality behind voter turnout…

It was the big day for all Bangaloreans and considering the number of civic organisations such as BPAC, CIVIC, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, etc, the voter turnout was expected to be at an all time high. Post voting day, the voter turnout was pegged at 56.47%, 55.7% and 55.69% in Bengaluru North, Central and South constitiuencies respectively. Though this figure is almost 10% higher than the polling percentage for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, it is less that the average Assembly election voting percentage in 2013 (58.27%) and the state voting average of 67.28%.  Citizens waiting at a booth in Malleshwaram at 7.30…

Chief Election Officer for Karnataka, Anil Kumar Jha in a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday reiterated the model code of conduct and presented statistics relating to the number of polling stations, vehicles mobilised for poll purpose and polling personnel, among others. Jha said there would be a ban on public meetings and processions from 15 April evening onwards. Setting up of temporary offices by party or candidate Such offices cannot be opened by way of any encroachment either on public or private property/ in any religious places or campus of such religious places/ contiguous to any educational institution /…

Bangalore Rural - Candidates D K Suresh - INC (incumbent MP) Age – 47 Education – PUC Businessman, brother of state minister D K Shivakumar Has 7 Cases including encroachment of forest land Assets – Rs 85.73 Crores. Click for ADR data. 9845029142 / dksuresh18@gmail.com Has set 100 RO water plants in the constituency. Won in bypolls held in Bangalore Rural last year Short profile: Click here Scams: Granite scam, illegal site,Complaint by a citizen: Click here R Prabhakar Reddy - JD(S) Age – 43 Education - BSc Realtor. Assets – 224 Crores, making him the second richest candidate in…

Only one more day left to go to the voting booth and cast your vote. All the leading parties have presented their manifesto. Their candidates have toured the city of Bengaluru trying to sell their ideas for the city and nation by large. Now it’s your turn. Step out and vote. For many who are still in a dilemma about which Parliamentary constituency you belong to, here is where you can figure it out: Which Parliament Constituency does your ward fall in? Who are the candidates? Once you know to which parliamentary assembly constituency you belong to, check out who…