MANY VOICES, ONE HOPE

MANY VOICES, ONE HOPE


Hope, laced with weary cynicism. The expectations offer a curious mix as Bangalore braces for the assembly elections. For the city, this could be a vote for change. From the daily road-jam, the wait for the water tanker, overflowing drains and all that at times make life in the metro an ordeal. sThis could also be a vote for the new legislator who can anchor a new, expanded Bangalore. When some of Bangalore’s prominent citizens were asked what it takes for the aspirants to make it to their list of ideal candidates, the response was by and large unanimous. Integrity, a will to serve and the ability to address complex issues are on top of the list. Formal education, though, doesn’t figure as a must-have.
As a die-hard Bangalorean, my hopes of this election bringing about any positive, desirable change are very low. Earlier, our MLAs used to be dictated to by the real estate lobby, this time, the real estate lobby itself is making its bid to get the reins of power so that it can frame laws that will suit it. Education and experience are not so relevant for Bangalore’s MLAs as much as knowledge of the letter and spirit of laws governing urban governance, such as the 74th CA. The poor vote anyway. The rich in Bangalore need to vote to prove that they accept democracy and not money power as a way of government.
— Kathyayini Chamaraj,
EXECUTIVE TRUSTEE, CIVIC
They should have a flair for social service, be well aware if not well educated, and should be honest.
— Anant Koppar, MD, K-TWO TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

The legislator must be empathetic to the people’s problems and understand Bangalore and Bangaloreans. He should know the pulse of the city, be extremely approachable, accountable, transparent and he should be someone who stands for what he says. Integrity and the ability to execute ideas are on top of my list. Age, professional experience or community is not a criterion for me as long as the legislator delivers.
— Ramesh Aravind, ACTOR, FILM-MAKER


He or she should have lived in the constituency, have a track record of having done something on the ground, and demonstrate ability to work with multiple stake-holders. If they meet the first three criteria, age doesn’t matter to me. Qualification, social and professional background of candidate don’t matter as long as the person delivers.
— Ramesh Ramanathan,
FOUNDER, JANAAGRAHA


If the record of former legislators and politicians is any indication, there’s not much that Bangalore can hope for. Barring a few exceptions, integrity and the will to implement people-friendly programmes have become rare characteristics among politicians.
— Prof U R Rao, FORMER DIRECTOR,
ISRO


The legislator should have the public interest at heart. His accessibility is another key factor. Age is not much to worry about as long as one is fit and has the will to do things. A younger person may be fit but may not have the will to work, while an older person may have the will. The criterion should be the ability to work.’’ — A Ravindra, FORMER CHIEF SECRETARY


The leaders should be the ones who can work towards a radically positive change, while taking the people along. Integrity and willingness to serve are the top desired characteristics. Education is not of much importance if the legislator is able to assess the complexities of issues. We have had exceptional leaders like Kamaraj, who didn’t have formal education.
— Samuel Paul, FOUNDER, PAC


More important than the candidate, we must ensure that one party comes to power. We have to choose the best among the worst and give a full term to the party. Give a clear mandate to ensure bold decisions, a great vision and decisive implementation. Once we have a stable party, the candidates should not be bigoted in any sense. We don’t want law and order problems, riots and communal tension. We want people who are broad-minded, open to debates and a democratic way of functioning. Education comes only after qualities like integrity, dynamism, commitment and passion. There’s no point in having education and being corrupt.
— Capt G R Gopinath,
founder, DECCAN AVIATION


During my visits to BBMP constituencies, I came across people asking me to do something about drinking water. This was the common complaint in BTM Layout and other areas. It surprised me, as I had expected people to complain about poor roads or connectivity. I will be taking up this issue with the party high command.
— Jagdish Tytler, CONGRESS MP AND AICC OBSERVER
FOR BANGALORE URBAN AND RURAL DISTRICTS


One should be true to the job. He/she should not be driven by vested interests, but be honest, forthright and committed. Need not be highly educated but should be visionary. Only leaders with such qualities will be able to take Karnataka to the next level of growth.
— Vinay Deshpande, MD, ENCORE SOFTWARE


To start with, a contestant should know the demography of Bangalore/ Karnataka. He should be aware that winning an election involves serious responsibility and it’s not a special privilege where he can enjoy money, power and muscle power. Candidates also should have great amount of integrity.
— Avinash Vashistha, MD, THOLONS


They should have a passion to make a difference to Karnataka in general and Bangalore in particular. They should be committed to make at least a couple of things in the manifesto happen on the ground. Every politician should allow an enabling environment and encourage voluntary spirit.
— Prof. S Sadagopan,
DIRECTOR, IIIT-B


Karnataka as a state has gone through a terrible tizzy in getting governments by instalment. We need a CM who functions like an efficient CEO who has the experience of public governance and takes quick decisions that hasten development. Our CM should give urban and rural governance equal priority. He should be a leader who can carry diverse sets of interests in his political party together. He should be a statesman and balance party pressures and handle the constant degree of infighting so that we can have stability. The CM should pay immediate attention to urban infrastructure and connectivity issues, particularly to the Bangalore International Airport. The power and water situations too need to be rectified. And we need a terror insulation plan in place. In case, we have no clear majority, the parties should sign an MoU to run as clear governments for fixed periods of time instead of forming a coalition government.
Harish Bijoor, CEO,
HARISH BIJOOR CONSULTS