With 7 ministers, can city expect more than flyovers?

The victory of three disqualified MLAs in the byelections, all of whom have been promised cabinet berth, is set to take the number of ministers from Bengaluru to seven at a time the city’s exploding population is crying for development.

Besides making Malleswaram MLA C N Ashwath Narayan the deputy chief minister, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has taken three Bengaluru MLAs into his cabinet. R Ashoka (Padmanabhanagar), V Somanna (Govindarajanagar) and S Suresh Kumar (Rajajinagar) have been given key posts.

Among the key posts lying with Yediyurappa is Bengaluru development minister and one of the three disqualified MLAs, who got rebirth with a saffron robe, is likely to bag it.

Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan said Bengaluru will witness a series of positive developments in the coming days. “All the areas in Bengaluru will be developed in the coming days. Key projects like suburban rail, the introduction of the electric bus, development of lakes and good roads will get prominence,” he said.

Oppn will cooperate

Senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said the opposition will cooperate with the government in the development of Bengaluru. “The BJP government, however, has been diverting funds allotted by the previous government to certain constituencies. This goes against the promise of continuing the programmes chalked out by the coalition government,” he said.

Reddy, who headed home and transport ministries during the Congress government, noted that the population of Bengaluru was increasing every day and infrastructure works should be planned with a long-term vision.

Srinivas Alavilli of Citizens for Bengaluru said the seven ministers should work to empower the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and devolution of powers to municipal corporations of other cities as well.

“Instead of adding more flyovers, which will make the situation worse, these ministers should come up with a vision for the future of the city. The real test of development is in empowering the local civic bodies to plan for their cities. The government should only guide them,” he said.