The efforts of residents’ welfare associations (RWA) and other civic groups to directly participate in the BBMP election may finally be pretty modest. Instead of a concerted effort across Greater Bangalore, the RWA challenge may finally be scattered and account for a small percentage of seats. Winning all such seats may not amount to much in the numbers’ game either.
Major political parties, however, would be wary of RWAs and other groups, and consider them a bit of a nuisance. That is largely because RWAs seek accountability. To the extent possible, the major parties will most probably skirt such bodies and try to work to win the support of individual households rather than associations in a given neighbourhood.
Civic groups and RWAs tend to be focused on activism that is non-partisan. That is what makes them credible. As such, these bodies too can only campaign for political parties very subtly.
The major political parties would invariably look at the less articulate but large chunk of voters from poorer sections to mop up support and rely on the usual network of party workers in such an effort. To a large extent the voice of RWAs and activists will be drowned in the cacophony that party candidates create during the campaign.
Post election, however, political parties and winning candidates will have to not only take the RWAs and other groups seriously, but also deal with them on a long-term basis.
That may probably encourage political parties to treat the RWAs with respect, somewhat grudgingly rather than completely be dismissive of them.
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