The Hindu : Karnataka News : BJP emerging as a force in this Congress citadel

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Thursday, Mar 26, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka

BJP emerging as a force in this Congress citadel

K.V. Subramanya

CHICKABALLAPUR: Delimitation has radically altered the topography and politics of the Chickaballapur Lok Sabha constituency, which now comprises areas from the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike limits, the entire former Bangalore Rural district, most parts of Chickaballapur district and some villages from Ramanagara district.

The constituency consists of Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Hoskote, Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Chickaballapur, Bagepalli and Gauribidanur Assembly segments.

Bengaluru International Airport and scores of well-developed posh residential layouts in the vicinity of the airport are part of the Chickaballapur constituency.

Many areas under the constituency are set to attract huge investments and witness unprecedented economic and industrial growth in the future as the multi-crore business development park is slated to come up at Devanahalli, where the international airport is located, and an international sports village near Chickaballapur. Besides, the land identified for the proposed Special Economic Zone at Nandagudi in Hoskote taluk falls under the Chickaballapur constituency.

Doddaballapur, which already has the Integrated Textile Park, is set to emerge as “Fashion Hub” in view of a major initiative taken by the State Government under the Swarna Vasthra Policy. Nelamangala is home to scores of small and medium industries. Some of the biggest housing projects and several top-notch educational institutions are situated in Yelahanka.

But on the other hand, Bagepalli, Gudibande, Chickaballapur and Gauribidanur are backward. Vast expanses of barren hillocks, high fluoride content in drinking water, the absence of any economic generating activity, and stark poverty have earned the Bagepalli and Gudibande the tag of “most backward taluks.”

Although Sir M. Visvesvaraya, who hailed from Chickaballapur, was responsible for creating some of the major irrigation projects and giving a push to industrialisation in the State, his home district lacks both industries and irrigation facilities. Not even a single medium or major industry is located in the district.

Absence of irrigation facilities and the fast depleting groundwater table have made life miserable for farmers of Chickaballapur district, where agriculture, sericulture and dairy are the major sources of livelihood. Farmers in Doddaballapur and Devanahalli also face similar problems.

This Vokkaliga-dominated constituency has been a Congress citadel and has always elected a Congress candidate, except in 1996 when R.L. Jalappa of the Janata Dal made it to Parliament. Mr. Jalappa, who later joined Congress, won the three subsequent elections in 1998, 1999 and 2004.

However, post-delimitation, the BJP has emerged as a force to reckon with.

Of the eight Assembly segments in the constituency, Yelahanka, Doddaballapur, Nelamangala (reserved) and Hoskote are represented by the BJP; Devanahalli (reserved), Gauribidanur and Bagepalli by the Congress and Chickaballapur by the Janata Dal (S).

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