Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) are reinventing themselves and they will be the surprise element in the civic polls. They are just a few steps away from becoming the people’s representatives, in true spirit.
On Thursday, the RWAs of Malleswaram, Kumara Park, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Basavanagudi and Sunkenahalli wards announced their intention to take on professional politicians in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections under the banner of the Loksatta party, and some candidates took the oath of public service in front of the Gandhi statue on MG Road.
NS Ramakanth, member of the Kumara Park extension RWA, will contest from the Vasanth Nagar ward. He haspromised “to alleviate pedestrian woes, especially on Millers Road, Queens Road and Cunningham Road”.
He has also promised to make Vasanth Nagar a model ward for dry waste segregation. He is an expert in zero-waste management and has been training BBMP officials in it.
Prakash Belawadi, writer and theatre personality, contesting from Sunkenahalli, says he is in the frayas “I protest against the lack of transparency maintained since the beginning of the Tagore circle underpass construction. It’s an example of bureaucratic high-handedness”.
Dr Meenakshi Bharat, a practising gynaecologist and a Malleswaram RWA member, is contesting from Aramane Nagar as “the reservation list is purposely tailored such that I will not be able to contest from the ward where I live in and have a good rapport with the voters”.
Leading political parties are pitting doctors against her to give her a tough competition. “But my success is half achieved, as educated people are contesting in the BBMP polls,” she says.
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