Find out how Yeshwanthapura Assembly Constituency is faring and what has been happening in this constituency. Learn about the incumbent MLA S T Somashekar (BJP) and other candidates Javaregowda (JDS), Shashidhar C Aradhya (AAP), and S Balraj Gowda (INC)
About the constituency
Yeshwanthapura Assembly Constituency was carved out in the 2008 Assembly delimitation. It is the largest constituency in Bengaluru in terms of area and the third largest in terms of number of voters.
The constituency lies on the western periphery of Bengaluru and extends north to south along the city’s borders. It neighbours the Yelahanka constituency in the north, RR Nagar in the south-central part, and Bangalore South on the southern edge.
The constituency has eight wards: Dodda Bidarakallu, Vidyamanyanagar, Doddagollarahatti, Herohalli, Hemmigepura, Kengeri, Bandi Matt and Ullal and several gram panchayats.
Like the other peripheral assembly constituencies, Yeshwanthapura is a mix of urban and rural areas. Many of the wards are part of the 110 villages added to the BBMP in 2008.
The constituency is somewhat counterintuitive in terms of city landmarks. The Yeshwantpur railway station and ward lies in the RR Nagar Constituency as does the well known Agricultural Produce Market. The Mysore-Magadi Road runs through the constituency.
The BDA’s controversial Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda Layout lies in this constituency. ST Somashekhar (BJP) is the incumbent MLA. The constituency lies in the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency and DV Sadananda Gowda is the MP.
At a glance
| Constituency Name | Yeshwanthapura |
| Constituency No | 153 |
| Constituency Area (in sq.km) | 396.35 |
| Number of voters (January 2023) | 515,716 |
| Male voters | 264,583 |
| Female voters | 251,075 |
| Other voters | 58 |
Data for all 28 constituencies can be found here. Corresponding source: ceo.karnataka.gov.in
Key issues in the constituency
The constituency faces several issues pertaining to lack of basic civic infrastructure. Most layouts in Yeshwanthapura remain poorly developed over 15 years after the constituency was formed and several layouts were initiated. Several wards in the constituency still struggle with bad or non-existent roads. Residents of Herohalli and Doddabidarakallu have reported mud roads being washed away by heavy rains.
Tarred roads are of poor quality and full of potholes making driving unsafe for motorists. At least one motorist has lost his life on the Magadi road in Herohalli.
In Herohalli ward, the number of potholes led to netizens making satirical videos comparing the roads to the cratered surface of the moon. Some of these roads were repaired after that.
Waste and pollution
Four of the seven BBMP waste to energy plants lie in this constituency, in Kannahalli, Seegehalli villages, Lingadheeranahalli and the Doddabidarakallu ward. Residents have protested against all four plants because of foul smell and groundwater pollution.
The Kannahalli plant is likely to begin operations soon. The Seegehalli plant is closed currently. The Lingadheeranahalli plant was heavily protested by residents of Banashankari.
In 2021, the Doddabidarakallu waste management plant caught fire leading to renewed fears of pollution amongst residents. The current status of all the plants is not clear but BBMP is reported to be under pressure, by MLA ST Somashekhar, to close them down during elections.
Researchers have documented several illegal dumping sites in Bengaluru, many of these lie in the Yeshwanthapura constituency.
Pollution carries on to the lakes of the constituency. The Kommaghatta Lake in Kengeri ward and Kannali Lake in the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout are heavily polluted with sewage and solid waste. The gram panchayat, which is in charge of the Kommaghatta Lake, has held the BDA responsible for the pollution.
The Doddabidarakallu lake is also experiencing severe pollution. Moreover, the lake had a weak bund, which has overflowed and flooded houses in the neighbourhood in 2019. The lake is also heavily encroached.
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout
The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL), envisaged by the BDA in 2008, is still incomplete and dealing with troubles. The BDA has run into major issues completing land acquisition for the project.
NPKL site allottees and residents are also still struggling for basic infrastructure, such as underground drains, roads and power. In 2022, owing to the poor drainage facilities, the layout was inundated during heavy rains.
In the same year, the BDA asked site allottees to give an undertaking that they would arrange their own water, power and sanitation facilities in order to be allowed permission to build.
NPKL was to be connected to the city through a Major Arterial Road, the Mysore- Magadi Road, which has also been delayed due to issues with property acquisition. The BDA promised that the road would be completed by March 31 2023, this year. This has still not happened.
Key parameters – How does this constituency fare?
*Based on their performance in each sector, constituencies are divided into three groups. High=top nine constituencies; Medium = mid nine constituencies; Low = bottom nine constituencies. A ‘High’ rating does not necessarily mean the constituency is doing well; it only means that the constituency is among the top nine constituencies for that parameter.
Schooling
| Metrics / Count | Rating* |
|---|---|
| 46 Govt Schools 1 school for 8.33 sq Km | Low |
For schooling, Yeshwanthapura constituency is rated ‘low’, with a school for every 8.33 sq km.
Mobility
| Metrics / Count | Rating* |
|---|---|
| 6 Metro Stations | No rating |
| 416 Bus Stops | Low |
| 16.51 Bus trips per 100 residents daily | Medium |
The constituency rated ‘low’ in terms of number of bus stops per sq km and medium for the number of bus trips per 100 residents.
Citizen engagement
| Metrics / Count | Rating* |
|---|---|
| Voter turnout 2013: 66% 2018: 55% | High |
| 145 ward committee meetings were held | High |
| 29 meetings per ward | High |
Voter turnout declined between the 2013 and 2018 elections. However, the constituency is among the higher rated ones in terms of ward committee meetings between 2020-22.
Health
We have not rated public health infrastructure as the data available was inadequate, and the data is simply presented as is.
| Metrics / Count | Rating* |
|---|---|
| 4 Namma clinics | – |
| 5 UPHCs | – |
| 77 Anganwadis | – |
| 2 BBMP hospitals (general and maternity) | – |
Please note that the number of PHCs or Namma Clinic within a constituency is not sufficient to draw conclusions about the state of healthcare. We also need data on the availability of staff and their capacity, medicines, equipment, diagnostic facilities. Quality is also determined by the distribution and access of these facilities within the area, the efforts in preventive/promotive healthcare and community participation, in addition to the process challenges, for e.g., insistence of Aadhar or Thayi cards.
Click here for the details on how all constituencies fare and their source(s)
Constituency map
Citizen demands
Major citizen demands include fixing road infrastructure and cleaning up lakes. Residents have been demanding the closure of the waste processing plants. NPKL site owners have been demanding basic civic infrastructure from BDA.
Incumbent MLA: S T Somashekar
ST Somashekar is the incumbent MLA of the constituency. He won the seat in 2013 and again in 2018 as a member of the INC. In 2019, while he was still with the INC, the Kumaraswamy led INC-JDS government made him the BDA chairman.
In July of the same year, he resigned as MLA and BDA chairman. He joined he BJP soon after and won the constituency in the 2019 by-election. He became the Minister of State for Cooperation of Karnataka in 2020.
Work in term
As Cooperation minister, Somashekhar largely oversaw policies and regulations for various dairy, agriculture and banking cooperatives in the state. In 2020, his ministry pushed for the amendment to Agriculture Produce Marketing Cooperatives Act. The amendments are in line with the Farm Bills withdrawn by the Centre. They allow private traders to trade in the APMC with little oversight, which has been reported to have impacted earnings of farmers.
The Cooperation ministry was also embroiled in the controversy surrounding the Amul-Nandini issue. The minister sought to reassure the state that no merger would take place between the two milk cooperatives.
Yeshwanthapura constituency is among the constituencies that received the most funds between 2013 and 2018, prior to Somashekar’s defection from INC to BJP. The constituency received over Rs 900 crore for infrastructure works including drainage and waste management. Yet the problems persisted.
The constituency continues to get large grants. In 2021, longtime BJP MLAs allegedly complained about rebel MLAs’ constituencies receiving more grants. In 2022, Yeshwanthapura constituency received little over 200 crores under the Amrutha Nagarothana scheme for various infrastructure schemes. In 2023, Yeshwanthapura has been allocated over Rs 500 Crore for infrastructure work.
In 2022, he assured residents that BWSSB would start on underground drains for the residents of the Banshankari VI stage, a layout under the BDA.
In 2023, the government turned down the BBMP’s request for more funds to develop four lakes in the constituency, which ST Somashekar was apparently keen on.
In the news
- In 2018, Somashekar’s ‘henchmen’ were accused of assaulting labourers who were guarding a private compound wall under dispute, in the constituency.
- Despite several hundred crores being spent on road infrastructure, roads remain in poor condition in the constituency.
- While ST Somashekar was BDA chairman briefly, he assured the media that the Kempegowda Layout would receive Cauvery water by 2020 and that work had already begun. The layout still doesn’t have regular water supply, as of 2023.
- In February 2021, Somashekar visited the proposed site for a tree park in Turahalli Reserved Forest, following objections by local residents.
- In September 2022, a complaint of bribery was made against ST Somashekar and others by a construction company. Somaeshekar was accused of demanding a bribe for a BDA contract. INC demanded he resign following the charge.
- In April 2023, a complaint was lodged against him accusing him of trying to woo voters with biryani.
List of candidates
Incumbent MLA: S T Somashekar, BJP
Somashekar is a two time MLA who left INC to join BJP in 2019, bringing down the Congress-JDS coalition government. He has one criminal case against him.
- Education: BSc
- Profession: Private Bus Business
- Online: Twitter – @STSomashekarMLA; Facebook – STSomashekarGowdaMLA/
- Net worth: 27.87 Crore
- Political experience: Two time MLA, BDA Chairman, Minister for Cooperation
Wealth declaration
| Details | Holdings in 2018 | Holdings in 2023 | Change in % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Movable Assets | 2.56 Cr | 6.49 Cr | 153% increase |
| Immovable property | 15.62 Cr | 21.38 Cr | 37% increase |
| Liabilities | 1.54 Cr | 3.14 Cr | 104% increase |
| Total | 18.18 Cr | 27.87 Cr | 53% increase |
Source: https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/
Candidate: S Balraj Gowda, INC
He was a former aide of ST Somashekar and an INC worker. He has 3 cases against him.
- Education: 10th Std
- Online: Twitter-Sbalrajgowda; Facebook-:Balraj Gowda S
- Profession: Business
- Net worth: Rs 5.48 Crore
- Political Experience: INC party worker; Elected office experience – NIL
Candidate: T N Javarayi Gowda, JD(S)
Jayaravi Gowda is a JDS party member who has contested for the seat in Yeshwanthapura twice, in 2013 and 2018. He has three cases against him.
- Education: Matriculation
- Online: http://facebook.com/tnjavaryigowdaofficial
- Profession: Business
- Net worth: 205.88 Crore
- Political Experience: JDS party worker, Elected office experience – NIL
Candidate: Shashidhar C Aradhya, AAP
Shashidhar Aradhya is an AAP candidate. He has no criminal cases against him.
- Education: Diploma in Fashion Design and Merchandiser
- Online: Twitter:@ShashicAradhya; Instagram: @shashidhararadhya; fb: Shashidhar Aradhya
- Profession: Private contractor – interior design and civil works
- Net worth: Rs 4.40 crore
- Political experience: Independent Candidate in 2018, AAP worker, Elected office experience- NIL
Full list of candidates
Past elections results
| Candidate | Party | Vote Share (%) 2019 | Vote Share (%) 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S T Somashekar | BJP | 50.86 | 52 (As INC candidate) |
| T N Javarayi Gowda | JD(S) | 41.53 | 39.43 |
| P Nagaraj | INC | 5.52 | – |
| H L Krishnappa | BJP | – | 5.51 |
In Banashankari 6th stage (Hemmigepura ward), sewage/water supply work by BWSSB ro be speeded up. More primary health/district level health centres are required. I stay near Vajarahalli, we had go 6 to 8 kms for Covid testing and vaccination at Konankunte or Kengeri. Lot of cows are on the road – BBMP needs to implement a plan similar to Indore Municipality to tackle cows blocking busy roads. Frequent power shut down is happening and in summer time, the power supply load is low due to which the fans are running slow, fridge cooling is low, dim lights, etc.BESCOM is charging fixed amount for the sanctioned load,whereas, the power load delivered is low.