Mahadevapura is one of the reserved constituencies in Bengaluru. C V Raman Nagar, Pulakeshinagar, Devanahalli and Anekal are the other assembly constituencies reserved for scheduled caste and tribes in Bengaluru Urban and Devanahalli and Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Arvind Limbavali has been representing this constituency for the second time. Limbavali won from this assembly segment in 2008 by a margin of 13,358 votes. Congress candidate B Shivanna got 63,018 votes while Limbavali got 76,376 votes. However, the margin of votes Limbavali won in 2013 decreased considerably at 6,149 votes. Limbavali got 1,10,244 votes while Congress candidate Srinivasa A.C. got 1,04,095 votes.
Janata Dal (Secular) candidate N Govardhan got only 5,604 votes. Though it is reserved constituency, Bahujan Samaj Par (BSP) candidate Venkatesh N got only 786 votes while Kannada film artiste Mayur Patel, who contested on BSR Congress ticket, got 1,532 votes. The main contest was between BJP candidate Arvind Limbavali and Congress candidate Srinivasa A.C. of Congress. All the other candidates (eight) lost their deposits in the election.
Political pundits in Mahadevapura assembly constituency are of the opinion that Limibavali got elected twice because of weak candidates fielded by political parties. For example, Congress candidate Srinivasa A.C. was expected to defeat Limbavali in the last election since Congress candidates won seven out of eight wards in the elections held in 2010 to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council but Limbavali managed to win in 2013.
Though the BJP has increased its tally from this assembly constituency in 2015 elections to the BBMP Council from one (2010) to four – Kadugodi, Doddanekkundi, Varthur and Bellandur – while Congress retained only three – Hoody, Garudacharpalya and Hagadur – out of eight wards. Independent got elected from Marathahalli ward.
There are 3,24,829 voters and among them 1,73,382 are men and 1,51,367 are women voters. Being hub of software, hardware and manufacturing companies, Mahadevapura assembly segment is fast growing. Drinking water and congestion of roads during peak hours continue to haunt the votes of this constituency. “We have to spend Rs 1000 for drinking water. We have to depend on a private water supplier since Cauvery water is yet to be supplied to this area. There is a facility to supply borewell water but it is remains irregular,’’ said Mohan Krishna, a IT employee staying at Hoodi.
Some of the voters complain against adamant attitude of Limbavali. They say the elected representative is accessible for only a selected people. “There is a coterie which allows their supporters to meet the MLA. He is not staying anywhere near here. He stays at a faraway place – New Thippasandra – in CV Raman Nagar. His phone is always busy or not reachable,’’ says a resident of Hagadur on a condition of anonymity.
Recently, Limbavali, who was coordinator for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Bengaluru on July 5, had to face the ire of Koli community members. They were angry when Limbavali stopped them in meeting Kovind. He tried to pacify them but a few of them tried to assault him.
It is not that Limbavali has not participated in any programme or fixed infrastructure-related problems. He led agitations to stop dumping of solid waste from Bengaluru city at Mandur landfill. He also played a major role in getting a rail over bridge (ROB) at Hoodi railway cross.
All in all, it will not be a cakewalk for Limbavali to romp home in the elections scheduled in April/May 2018 since the margin of votes in 2013 was only a few thousands.
