BNP announces day-long fast opposing Bengaluru Governance Bill

Bengaluru: Outrightly rejecting multiple provisions of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) has announced a day-long fast at Freedom Park on Sunday, demanding changes to the governance model.

The party, which plans to contest the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections for the first time, has also called upon citizens to join the protest.

“The Bill is an assault on Bengaluru’s right to self-governance, stripping the city of its autonomy and reinforcing the state government and MLA interference in municipal affairs. It is an outright violation of Article 243W of the Indian Constitution, which mandates that state governments devolve 18 key urban development functions to municipalities,” the BNP stated.

The party has submitted a detailed list of demands to 23 key decision-makers and launched an online petition calling for immediate action against the Bill.

"The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill does nothing to empower local governance; it denies citizen participation and shields the government from accountability. It fails to grant the mayor the decision-making authority required to lead the city, allowing MLAs to overreach and interfere in city governance,” said Srikanth Narasimhan, BNP founder and general secretary.

Vishnu Reddy, zonal president of BNP Mahadevapura, said Bengaluru does not need another bureaucratic hurdle. "It needs a Metropolitan Planning Committee that actually prioritises urban development. The mayor of Bengaluru must be given real executive authority, just as the chief minister has powers over the state. Without this, governance will remain in the hands of political interests rather than serving the people," he said.