For Zameer Ahmed Khan, who represented the constituency in the dissolved assembly, wooing just the minority voters (70,000 of total 2.14 lakh voters) will not do this time around, after delimitation. For, the Congress is also fielding a person from the minority community - Syed Ahmed.

Nor can BJP’s Shamsundar Gayakwad expect the polls to be a cakewalk as a major chunk of voters belong to cross-section of society - SCs, STs, Kurubas, OBCs, Christians and others.

After delimitation, Chamarajpet has five BBMP wards. Of the five, four are new wards - Padarayanapura, Azadnagar and Jagajeevanram Nagar were part of the erstwhile Binnypet constituency, and the KR Market ward was with old Chickpet constituency.

Zameer had secured 19,943 votes of a total 47,028 votes polled in the 2005  by-elections.
Former CM S M Krishna, who won from the same constituency in the 2004 elections, had polled 27,495 votes.

Voting trends

 In the three newly-added wards of Padarayanapura, Azadnagar and Jagajeevanram Nagar wards (mainly underdeveloped areas), the electorate had stood by the Congress for a long time - the Congress’ V Somanna was elected from Binnypet four times.

And all three candidates contesting the 2008 Assembly polls are trying hard to garner these votes. Besides the minority community, the constituency has around 30,000 SC and ST voters, around 25,000 Kurubas and OBCs, and around 8,000 Christians.

Knowing fully well that minority voters will be divided between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress, candidates from both parties are trying to woo non-minority community votes, especially those from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes, by speaking about social justice.

Ditto with the BJP candidate. Gayakwad is trying to turn minority votes into his favour, besides banking on the traditional ‘saffron’ votes.

Development an issue

Unlike in the past, development too has become a poll issue this time around.
A majority of electorate of the constituency lives in slums and underdeveloped colonies, where drinking water is a scarce commodity, good roads are a far dream and hygiene is unheard of. Residents are now demanding better living conditions.

Former minister Zameer Ahmed is a known face in the constituency, and this is helping him reach out to the people easily - giving the impression that he is placed slightly better than his opponents.