Shivajinagar is one of the important assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. Situated in the city centre it consists iconic Russell Market and Bamboo Bazar and religious shrines such as St. Mary’s Basilica, Juma Masjid and Gurudwara and Someswara temple in Halasuru.
Recently Shivajinagar was in the news for all wrong reasons when Rudresh, a RSS activist, was killed in a broad daylight. The police have arrested the accused. Rudresh’s murder made principal political parties to indulge in mudslinging.
If we see the history of Shivajinagar constituency, it remains Congress bastion. Congress candidates were elected five times since 1967 while BJP candidate Katta Subramanya Naidu was elected twice – 1999 and 2004. Others got elected twice – 1978 and 1983.
The total number of votes is 1,80,881. Male voters are 92,200 and women votes are 88,669 while 12 are others in Shivajinagar assembly segment that has seven BBMP wards.
While five wards – Ramaswamy Palya, Jayamahal, Bharathinagar, Shivajinagar and Sampangirama Nagar – are represented by Congress, Halasuru and Vasanthnagar wards are represented by BJP in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palie (BBMP) Council.
The major problem is garbage and lack of sufficient water supply. One needs a hanky to protect his nostril while visiting fish market at Russell Market. Though the incumbent MLA who is a minister for infrastructure development in Siddaramaiah Cabinet has succeeded in reducing the stench here by constructing a pay and use public toilet, there is a lot to be done as far as cleanliness at the Russell Market is concerned.
“We have been complaining to our MLA and corporator against the apathy of conservancy workers. We want the garbage to be cleared thrice a day – morning, noon and evening – to avoid piling of garbage here but in vain,’’ said Shakeel Mohammed, a shopkeeper at Russell Market.
Roshan Baig put up a hoarding near Russell Market showcasing his achievements as an elected representative from Shivajinagar. He claimed of playing a key role in opening a modern swimming pool – Kensington Swimming Pool near Ulsoor Lake but people in the vicinity are not happy with the exorbitant fee collected by the management.
“I have never come across a public swimming pool collecting Rs 100 per hour on weekends and Rs 70 per hour during the week days. It will be difficult for poor and middle-class families to pay such exorbitant fee. I want the authorities to reduce the fee for the benefit of people, especially youth from poor and middleclass families,’’ opines Kalidasa Reddy, a resident of Kallahalli near Ulsoor Lake.
Hundreds of people visit Ulsoor Lake for a walk in the morning and evening. They want the elected representative to direct the BBMP authorities to keep the lake clean and expedite the ongoing developmental works that are progressing at a snail’s pace. “We have to be grateful to MLA Roshan Baig for taking an initiative to provide amenities here. However, I am not happy with the progress of the developmental works. For example, a foot over bridge to connect the walkway with Swami Vivekananda Swamy Park was taken more than a year ago but it is yet to be completed,’’ said Pushaparaj N, a resident of Shivan Chetty Garden.
However, Roshan Baig is set to romp home again in the next Assembly elections. The reason is BJP, the main opposition party, has been struggling to find a strong candidate against Roshan Baig. He, who got elected four times – as JNP candidate in 1985, JD candidate in 1994 and Congress candidate in 2008 and 2013 – had an advantage of being the Cabinet Minister.
He defeated BJP candidate Nirmal Surana by more than 10,000 votes in 2008 and by more than 20,000 votes in 2013. It is not that Baig had a cakewalk all the time. As a JD(S) candidate in 1989, he got defeated by Congress candidate A.K. Ananth Krishna by 91 votes in 1989. “I am confident of success in the next Assembly elections if Congress high command asks me to contest from Shivajinagar. The voters of Shivajinagar are aware of my achievements,’’ Roshan Baig told this correspondent on phone.
