BBMP elections: Why BJP for Bengaluru?

Bengaluru is the city of hope and aspiration for an ever-growing number of Indians. People from all over the country come here seeking a brighter future and a happier life. Running a city this important requires great commitment, forethought and experience. BJP is the only party that fulfills these demands.

Not surprisingly, people of Bengaluru have consistently reposed their faith in BJP by electing its leaders to all the tiers of the city’s public representation. In addition to running the BBMP, an overwhelming majority of the city’s legislators and all the three members of Parliament from the city are from the BJP. Clearly, Bengaluru trusts the BJP.

This trust has not been misplaced.

From the city’s bustling international airport to the much loved Namma Metro, from the hundreds of elevated roads and underpasses to the signal free outer-ring roads, BJP has delivered big for Bengaluru. In the last five years in the BBMP, the BJP has tried its utmost to make Bengaluru one of the most liveable cities in the world.

The Cauvery 4th phase project ensured that much needed drinking water for the newly added areas to BBMP. As a result Bengaluru’s periphery is not thirsty anymore.

The city’s revenues have more than doubled from a paltry Rs 500 crore to a sizeable Rs 2000 crore. More than 14 lakh properties were brought within the property tax net yielding greater revenue to the city.

Efforts were made to curtail the different mafias hindering the city’s development – garbage, cable and real estate. More than 10,000 houses were built for the poor. More than a hundred parks were newly formed while many more were rejuvenated.

Lakes got a new lease of life with the BJP taking up the rejuvenation of lakes as an utmost priority. The BBMP under BJP has greatly revamped and refurbished the city's old and rusting underground drainage system. Signal free corridors were planned and executed to ease the movement of traffic in the city.

Despite great hurdles faced in solid waste management, the cityended as the cleanest among all the capital cities in the country. All these and more was done despite the Congress ruled State government’ open apathy towards BJP ruled Bengaluru in the last two and half years.

Sensing the positive mood towards BJP in the city, the Congress ruled State Government tried every dirty trick in the book to postpone the BBMP polls, including pushing an ill thought Bill to divide Bengaluru.

It was clear to all that for the Congress Party, shortsighted political expediency mattered more than long term interests of the city. But for the High Court and the Supreme Court's intervention, the Congress ruled State Government would not have conducted elections to BBMP.

Today, Bengaluru has to choose between a party that has consistently delivered results for Bengaluru and a party that has unabashedly gone to the extent of unscientifically dividing the city to suit it's short term political interest. It's time for us to choose.

The BJP has grand plans for our city. Raising revenues for local administration by expanding the tax net, introducing mobile governance for BBMP, building of state of the art diagnostic centres in every ward in addition to 24*7 super speciality referral hospitals, increasing the budget for the city's infrastructure to Rs 5000 crore including signal free corridors and elevated express ways, building 25,000 homes for the city's poor in order to ensure a slum free Bengaluru, rejuvenating the city's lakes to take care of the drinking water needs, ensuring safety and security of women and children by CCTV monitoring and increased police patrol, giving thrust to e-governance and transparency by introducing online applications for citizen grievances and ushering public participative governance by forming vibrant ward level committes are only some of the grand ideas the BJP has for Bengaluru. BJP wants to make Bengaluru safe, clean, healthy and beautiful. For this to happen, it needs your support.

This August 22 you have a chance to stand up for your city. Let's stand for development. Let's us vote for an undivided and united Bengaluru. Let's choose progress over politics. The BJP's priority is Bengaluru. Let us make BJP our priority.

(Tejasvi Surya is State Secretary, BJP Yuva Morcha, Karnataka. The views expressed in the article are author's personal opinion and does not reflect the stand of CNN-IBN/IBNLive.)