For five years now, when there was no elected council, every one had been out of action. But the prospect of civic polls being held shortly in Bengaluru has brought them back in action.
“Many former councillors have begun voter outreach programmes through Rajyotsava and Sabarimala events, the flavours of the season. Distributing books to students, ration, printing calendars with the name and photographs of aspirant councillors are preferred ways to reach voters,” said N.R. Ramesh, a former councillor from BJP.
As the number of wards have risen from 198 - when elections were last held in 2015 - to 369 now, and two new political parties Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) will be in the race for the first time, there are hundreds of new aspirants eager to the enter the fray.
“Earlier, we used to always face the problem of disgruntled rebels. But with the number of wards almost being doubled, we hope everyone will get a chance and there won't be disgruntlement this time,” said Abdul Wajid, a former Congress councillor.
However, uncertainty and confusion still reigns over new wards, reservation roster, and whether elections will be held at all in the next few months.
