Polls create dilemma for leaders

The constantly increasing number of new contestants from this Zilla Panchayat constituency is an issue causing problems for the party leaders.

Srinivaspur is a region that attaches a high level of importance to political status. Former MLA K R Ramesh Kumar and present legislator G K Venkatashiva Reddy are the two primary competitors from the region, regardless of the constituency from which they contest the polls. The local residents, however, attach equal importance to the contests between the supporters of the two politicians too.

Y A Narayanaswamy, who is an independent member of the Legislative Council and a native of Srinivaspur taluk visits the constituency often. Members of the BJP and the CPI(M) have been consistently intensifying their activities in the taluk.
Both zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections will be conducted amidst such condition.

New headache

The number of candidates who wish to contest the elections is large. The longest lists are of the Congress and the JD(S), which have a long history of running the local administration in the region.

Several politicians, who had won previous elections from here, are hoping to contest and win again.

The greatest dilemma for party leaders is regarding the new contestants. Heated discussions are being organised to decide who should be given a ticket where, who should be recalled and even how to pacify people who would be disappointed and angered by the party decisions.

Although such difficult situations arise prior to all polls, the candidates who win the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections will not find what follows a cakewalk. It is a trial by fire for them to understand and respond to the problems and needs of the people in their respective constituencies appropriately and satisfactorily.

Reserved trouble

Srinivaspur taluk has 17 gram panchayat constituencies. Of these, Byraganipalli, Gounipalli, Addagal, Kurigepalli, Pulagurukote, Rayalpad and Somayajapalli are border area constituencies. The constituencies are not only situated in hilly regions, but are also economically backward as compared to other constituencies.

The other constituencies, which are at the foothills are Chaldiganahalli, Dalasanur, J Thimmasandra, Lakshmisagara, Mothakapalli, Nambihalli, Nelavanki, Ronur, Tadigollu and Yaldur. There are a total of five zilla panchayat constituencies in these areas.

The conditions of the people living here, however, is not much better. Therefore, the new zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat members will have the responsibility of solving the problems of the people here step by step.

Representatives would so far visit the rural areas regularly and try to respond to the problems of the people. However, the number of representatives dropped considerably after reservation system was introduced in the political field. This has only prevented quick resolution of the problems of the people in the region.

Challenges

The most common and widely spread problem is that of drinking water facility, especially in summer. People are never certain of when the borewells would run short of water.

Hygiene in the villages is another challenge as no village in the entire region can be called a model village for cleanliness. Drains that are in very bad condition are common sights everywhere.

The condition of the roads in the rural areas are substandard. Although some of the roads in the villages have been built of cement, most of the connecting roads are bereft of cement of asphalt, muddy and full of potholes.

Most of the developmental work that had been started in the area could not be completed since enough funds were not released in time. Therefore, completing such work would also be a responsibility for newly elected members of the panchayats.

In addition, they would have to ensure proper utilisation of funds as well as quality of work carried out in the constituencies.