BJP promises to turn around city in three years

BJP promises to turn around city in three years

Special Correspondent
Party to bring out Bangalore Action Plan

within 10 days

It will look into security requirements of the city

BANGALORE: In a bid to woo the voters of Bangalore which has three parliamentary constituencies, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to come out with a “Bangalore Action Plan” — a road map for the development of Bangalore in three years.

BJP national general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar, who is contesting as party’s candidate from Bangalore South, told presspersons on Tuesday that the action plan would be released within 10 days.

“The main intention of such an action plan is to turn around Bangalore in the next three years and make it a role model for other metropolitan cities in the country,” he said. The proposed action plan would be formulated on the basis of a five-point agenda. This includes bringing about an exclusive legislation for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai, which would support citizen-centric governance and upgrading infrastructure facilities to global standards.

It will also have special programmes for the uplift of urban poor, improving public service delivery system and preserving Bangalore’s heritage as well as environment, Mr. Kumar said.

He said the proposed plan will have to be implemented with the help of Centre and State governments in addition to support from bodies such as the BBMP and civic agencies such as Bescom, BWSSB and BMTC. Details such as the estimated requirement of funds for the implementation of the above plan would be made known at the time of release of the plan document. The proposed plan will also look into the security requirements of the city, which has become a national hub of knowledge and science in addition to IT, he said. When asked how he would rate his performance as MP on a scale of 10, Mr. Kumar remarked that “as an MP of the Opposition I will give myself 10 out of 10.”

Replying to queries on the Congress fielding Youth Congress President Krishna Byre Gowda against him in Bangalore South, Mr. Kumar said persons did not matter in his constituency and the only issue before people was to change the UPA Government “which had let them down”. Describing Bangalore South as a BJP bastion, he indirectly suggested to Mr. Gowda to fight the polls with sporting spirit. On the possibility of Captain Gopinath taking on him from Bangalore South, Mr. Kumar said: “He is my good friend and everyone is free to contest from the seat of his own choice.”

Mr. Kumar also released a handbook for the party workers of Bangalore South, which comprises names and telephone numbers of the party leaders in-charge of the Lok Sabha election from this seat.