The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : After a lull, loudspeakers are back with a bang

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

After a lull, loudspeakers are back with a bang

B.S. Ramesh and K.N. Venkatasubbarao

The only audible signs of electioneering in the IT capital of India

BANGALORE: Loudspeakers and bull horns are back with a bang in Bangalore and surrounding areas. They are, perhaps, the only audible signs of electioneering not only in the IT capital of India but also in constituencies coming under Bangalore Rural and Bangalore Urban districts.

With the Election Commission strictly monitoring the election expenses, many candidates are playing it safe. While some like the BJP candidate from Mahadevapura, Aravind Limbavalli, the Janata Dal (United) candidate from Anekal, C. Thopaiah, and the JD(U) candidate from Malavalli, B. Somashekar, have opted for intensive door-to-door campaigning, the Congress candidate from Malavalli, Y.S. Siddaraju, has focussed on interacting with corporators and office-bearers.

With the campaigning scheduled to end on Thursday for the first phase of elections, several candidates are making up for the “lost time” by commissioning scores of vehicles, including jeeps, open trucks, vans, cars and two-wheelers, to get across their message to their voters.

In the residential areas of Jayanagar and BTM Layout, the peace of the neighbourhood was rudely broken on Sunday when loudspeakers started blaring out slogans and songs in praise of a particular candidate. Residents, who, till then, were pleased with the strict Election Commission guidelines, wore a resigned look as they knew that they would be subjected to endless hours of hoarse sloganeering.

The Hindu team, which toured Malavalli Assembly constituency on Saturday, did not find a single policeman on the Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli highway. Nor was the police presence notable on the Maddur-Channapatna-Ramanagaram-Bangalore highway.

More strikingly, there was not much of electioneering in villages and towns adjoining the main road at Malavalli, Kanakapura, Channapatna and Ramanagaram Assembly constituencies. There was not a single poster or sign of a political party or portrait of a candidate. No rallies or public meetings were held. The compound walls of buildings and houses too remained free from receiving a coat of election painting.

However, the candidates in all these constituencies were on the road and it was only the cavalcade of vehicles moving at brisk pace that betrayed a candidates anxiety to cover his constituency.

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