Column

It may be a bit too early to write it off but the election to the BBMP does not seem to have generated the kind of excitement one expected. There are, of course, the usual ticket seekers and their godfathers, busy trying to influence the choice in each political outfit.

A clear idea of the kind of candidates in the fray may emerge only by Monday, the last day for filing nominations, most certainly by Wednesday, when withdrawals from the contest close. Going by the kind of people making a pitch to secure party tickets, any hope of the elected civic body serving as a model in efficiency or transparency has to be stifled at the outset. While it is true that major political parties keep saying they will bring new blood into the polity at this level, the chances of fresh faces, more important than that, fresh and honest faces are pretty remote. The chances are that the civic body will continue to be dominated by wheelers and dealers who have mastered the political art of skimming commission and percentage from all deals, as Shobha Karandlaje, former minister, evocatively said while making out a case for women in political offices. It may, therefore, be better not to expect any radical change in urban civic polity.

There are, of course, the usual quota of very well meaning and enthusiastic individuals and groups trying to make a difference. For most of them, getting elected is easier said than done. They will simply not be able to match the ability of the big parties and big candidates to bank roll the process. So, at the end of the day, there may be many cases of well meaning losers from among civic activists but that should not stop those genuinely interested in civic affairs from taking further interest in the affairs of the city.

A lot of grassroots activists, particularly from the resident welfare associations (RWA), are pretty enthusiastically involved in the election. Even if they fail to win seats, the fact that public interest in finding solutions to civic problems goes beyond the mainstream political process should be sufficiently acknowledged and encouraged. The RWAs should continue their work, primarily focussing on issues concerning their neighbourhood and articulating them sufficiently no matter who wins in the election. The stake that the RWAs have and the pastures that politicians seek within the urban civic space are two different things and the RWAs’ work need not be dictated by an elected office with a limited tenure.

In fact, civic activists and RWAs can adopt a dual approach in these elections. First, at the very outset, get contesting candidates in their respective wards to commit to listen to citizens on their needs on a regular basis. Over the next three weeks or so, work hard at getting the best candidate, even if it is from a bad lot, into the civic body and that would mean campaigning within communities but outside the political system. Second, post election, continue to serve the neighbourhood both as a watchdog, holding corporators accountable, and as a non-elected representatives fighting for civic community rights. To do that, those seeking to genuinely work in the civic space will have to look for a role beyond elected offices even while trying to influence the election process.