The city is warming up for the forthcoming local body elections. However, while the enthusiasm of the candidates is palpable, the feeling is not reciprocated by the voter.

For, the public feels that none of the representatives elected previously have served the interests of the people and is sure that the situation will not change.
The people are piqued that those chosen in the polls have done several things including politicking, promoting self-interest, infighting, regularising illegal khatas and protecting encroachers of public spaces. While not an iota of development is visible, they say.

 The following instance seems to support public theory: When the reservation list was announced the previous two times, the candidates chose those wards that were favourable to them and got authorities to supply drinking water in tankers. In some cases, candidates supplied water directly; some even claimed that the Municipal tankers were theirs!

However, this time, there is no such rush to redress the peoples’ water problems as the candidates seem to have realised that the voter will not succumb to such gimmicks.

A few old councillors feel that their old wards were better, while a few others are trying to contest in neighbouring wards. Amidst all this, several new faces want to test the waters. Then again, some oldtimers who have found the new system not to their liking have withdrawn from the contest and are extending conditional support to candidates contesting in their stead.

A discussion with the contestants on their aspirations reveals an alarming development. Some of them are contesting not to serve the people but with a view to augment their income! For a few, it is to strengthen and improve their political clout while some others want to retain their seats. What's more, a few candidates are also calculating that after becoming councillors they, or their followers, can easily obtain the contracts for municipal works and extract commission.

Meanwhile, resentment has set in the Congress camp over distributing tickets. Block Congress president K V Navin Kiran has accused that he has been sidelined in the matter while the norm is to distribute tickets in taluks via the block unit chiefs. The leader even  resigned in protest.

 Several contestants who were not given the B-Form are now preparing to contest as rebel candidates.
However, it is being said that there is no such confusion in the JD (S) which has fielded candidates in 28 wards. Three independent candidates are contesting in the remaining wards, supported by the JD (S). Party leaders are busy working towards getting their candidates elected.

The BJP, for the first time, has directly fielded candidates in 12 wards while supporting independents in other wards. The Bahujan Samajwadi Party and Samajwadi Party have fielded two and six candidates respectively while 96 independent candidates have filed for nomination. A total 351 nominations were received on Monday the last day for filing nominations, which will be scrutinised on Tuesday.

Remains to be seen how many will remain in the fray after September 20, the last day to withdraw nominations.