JOIN USA day after the blast, the vicinity of Kodandrampura in Malleswaram wore a deserted look with a large presence of Central Reserve Police Force personnel carrying automatic weapons, and BJP workers walking in and out of the party headquarters.
With senior BJP leaders, including Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, visiting their head office, there was heavy security in place. Leaders continued to issue statements and hold press conferences at the headquarters.
The blast did not appear to hamper campaigning of either the BJP or the Congress in other parts of the constituency. With no major rallies or gatherings, people went about their routine work. Across the seven wards in the constituency, there was little evidence of campaigning, as it was restricted to candidates trying to evaluate the repercussions of the blast in and around Kodandrampura.
BJP MLA Dr C N Ashwathnarayan, who is seeking re-election, was asked to drop his padayatra by Chief Minister Shettar and accompany him to KC General Hospital and the blast site in morning, while Congress candidate B K Shivram proceeded to Kodandrampura to interact with voters.
With just a fortnight to go for the polls, Ashwathnarayan, however, got his corporators to campaign for him. One of them was Aramanenagar corporator Dr Shivaprasad who met residents in his ward, especially at the Indian Institute of Science.
The MLA said his campaigning, though derailed by the blast, was on track. He attended the meeting with Shettar and senior police officers at the official residence of the chief minister at Seshadripuram.
For Shivram, it was a day of interaction with the residents of Kadu Malleswara ward close to the blast site. “I have been trying to gauge the voters’ response to the tragedy and get some insight as to what they feel could have been the reason,” said Shivram.
He was accompanied by his supporters and one of his confidants residing in the area.
Traffic diverted
With the police cordoning off 11th Cross Malleswaram, it was a tough time for citizens negotiating the streets in their neighbourhood. While security forces allowed free movement for residents in the vicinity of the blast site, the BJP head office, for once, was out of bounds for VIP vehicles. Citizens were diverted to parallel roads.