The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Karnataka government to hold civic polls by June 30. While the Congress has started preparations, several former BJP councilors feel that elections will not be held anytime soon. However, new entrants like the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) feel they have an edge in the polls.
Padmanabha Reddy, a former councilor from Kacharakanahalli, noted that there are several flaws in the creation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) that violate Article 243R (relating to composition of municipalities) and Article 243W (relating to powers, authorities and duties of municipalities). “There are problems even with the reservation drafts. These elections will not be in the foreseeable future,” he said.
Another BJP councillor, who did not wish to be named, pointed out that the arms of the former Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), B-SMILE and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. (BSWML), operate independently despite being civic agencies. “When councilors have problems with these companies, where should we go?” he asked, adding that these deficiencies could end up in court seeking the dissolution of the GBA.
Despite the turmoil among his party members, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok said on Monday that the BJP would hand the Congress a crushing defeat.
Congress’s Abdul Wajid countered that the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Bill had been passed in both houses and had received the Governor’s assent. Subsequently, the court ordered that the elections be held at the earliest. “How can there be a problem now?” he asked.
Meanwhile, parties like the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) believe they are doing well in the polls.
AAP’s Prithvi Reddy said that with smaller wards, parties like his, which rely on door-to-door campaigning and focus on practical solutions to civic issues, have an advantage because people can connect with them better. “People are fed up with traditional parties and are looking for an alternative that works well for us,” he said. He pointed to a surge in civic works across the city in the run-up to the election and highlighted years of governance neglect.
Srikanth Narasimhan, founder of BNP, told The Hindu that the party is deeply connected with local people through its work on civic issues. “People know us and we are more connected across age groups and income classes. This factor will give us a better chance,” he said.
Published – 14 Jan 2026 22:05 IST
