Congress sets up committee to revive ‘lost glory’ of Bengaluru

With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’ civic body) polls likely to be held later this year, the Congress looks to cash in on the public outcry against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under Basavaraj Bommai in the recent flooding in several parts of India’s IT capital.

The Congress on Sunday said it has formed a Bengaluru action plan committee as a measure to “revive the lost glory” of the city that has made global headlines for the recent flooding on account of encroachments and civic apathy.

The Congress on Sunday said it has formed a Bengaluru action plan committee as a measure to “revive the lost glory” of the city that has made global headlines for the recent flooding on account of encroachments and civic apathy. (PTI)

With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’ civic body) polls likely to be held later this year, the Congress looks to cash in on the public outcry against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under Basavaraj Bommai in the recent flooding in several parts of India’s IT capital.

“Keeping my promise to the people, I have formed a ‘better Bengaluru action plan committee’ under the chairmanship of Ramalinga Reddy. We will formulate a plan based on the committee’s report that will help in reclaiming Namma Bengaluru’s lost glory,” Congress state president DK Shivakumar said in a Twitter post on Sunday.

The BJP has been in power at the BBMP since 2010 and ruling the state since 2019 which has given the Congress, the main opposition party, to corner the state government.

The BJP has accused the Congress of bringing Bengaluru to its knees during its term, starting a blame game between the two national parties while the over 12 million residents of the city have been forced to endure treacherous living conditions in one of India’s richest cities.

Though the BJP government appears to be preparing for the BBMP polls, its own leaders and others are unsure if it will conduct the polls as there are over 3,500 objections to the ward delimitations as well as reservation lists. Leaders within the Congress have also approached the courts over allegations that the BJP carried out the delimitation and reservation lists to gain a political advantage.

However, with just one year to go before the assembly election, the Bommai government is unlikely to risk going before the people of Bengaluru as any upset is likely to weigh in on the assembly elections next year, multiple persons aware of the developments said.

With 28 assembly constituencies and Bengaluru being the crown jewel of Karnataka, all political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are hoping for a good outing in the city corporation elections, if it is held.

The Congress said it will hold consultations with various stakeholders to improve the infrastructure in the capital city and share its recommendations in twenty days.

The committee has been formed under the chairmanship of KPCC working president Reddy while former Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda will be its convener. The committee also has former deputy chief minister G Parameshwar, former ministers KJ George and Krishnabyregowda as its members along with MLAs NA Harris and Rizwan Arshad. Two former mayors of Bengaluru G Padmavathi and Gangambike have been taken on board as members.

“This committee will hold consultations with residents of Bangaluru, civil engineers, real estate developers, environmental activists among others to detect the primary reasons that caused massive floods this year. The committee will also prepare its report and recommendations based on the suggestions made by the experts and share them with the party leadership,” Shivakumar said.