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M’luru North constituency wants MLA with vision, anti-incumbency evident

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Mangaluru: The Mangaluru North Constituency, erstwhile Surathkal constituency was formed after carving out certain pockets of Moodabidri in 2007 and it is one of the high profile constituencies of the region as it is home for several big industries.

Since 1987, both the Indian National Congress and the BJP have had equal share of victories in their kitty, but it remained in the strong holds of the BJP from 2004-08 with BJP’s Krishna J Palemar winning over the constituency for two terms and going on to become a minister in the state cabinet. However, sleazy porn-gate controversy surrounding Palemar largely contributed to his defeat and first time MLA Moideen Bava become the elected representative in 2013.

In the year 2013, Mangaluru North Constituency had 198365 total voters – 96994 male voters and 101367 female voters. Of this,145853 people had cast their votes with 73.53 total turn out in the 2013 legislative assembly elections.

Mixed response

People in the Mangaluru North Constituency have come up with mixed responses on performance of sitting MLA Moideen Bava in his 4.5 years of being in power and evidently majority have expressed dissatisfaction over his performance. A visit to the constituency and it is a common complaint among his people that the first time MLA lacks vision!

The locals feel that despite major industries functioning in the region over the last several decades, the MLA could not make headway in bringing employment in these companies for the local youth. A good number of residents here in Bava’s constituency say that he has been someone who pays more attention to publicity and PR tactics rather than work- recent one being distribution of notebooks to children in the constituency on account of his birthday, which reeked of narcissism as the cover of the book had his pictures printed on it.

Another important characteristic of this constituency that it is a communally sensitive one and most of the voters here feel that the MLA has failed to curb the communal elements. A major allegation against Bava is that he has been intervening in functioning of the police department, arm-twisting the officials to act as per his wish, specifically safeguarding the anti-social elements.

The constituency has huge hoardings and banners of Bava standing tall, but the locals say that these are mostly self-sponsored appreciation.

DYFI State President Muneer Katipalla, a resident of this constituency is vocal about issues pertaining common man and he is one of the first to point out that the MLA has largely been a failure because he neither has connected with the people of his constituency nor does he know the pulse of the voters.

“MLA Moideen Bava has not understood the problems in the Mangaluru North Constituency. Yes, compensation to various victims have been provided through CM’s Relief Fund, some roads have been repaired and contributions have been made to some worship centres. But, in a communally sensitive constituency, what is the plight of law and order,” questions Muneer, who is evidently irked by the fact that core issues and problems caused by hazardous industries still remain unaddressed.

“I am talking about people who have lost their land, their bowl of rice to make way for MSEZ and MRPL like projects. They are living like destitute, without employment and without any certainty about future. People are choked by dust and poisonous air. Water has been contaminated and our lives hang in limbo. Has the MLA stood by us,” Muneer probes adding that health and education sector in the constituency have gone to dogs.

“One may have to see the plight of two government degree colleges in the constituency to understand my point. He is an MLA who is thriving on publicity and not on vision,” says Muneer concluding that when his people’s right to fresh air and potable water has been hijacked, the MLA is talking about a multi-crore Mall, which he calls a market, in the city, which will have no place for the common man whatsoever. Several residents in the region have endorsed the view of Muneer.

” Important road that connects Surathkal-MRPL is in very bad state, but a road that goes to the MLA’s residence has been made four-lane. The commuters on main roads are put to trouble due to bad state of roads, but this does not catch the eyes of elected representatives,” says Dheeraj, a resident of Kana.

Talking on the same lines, BJP leader Sathyajith Surathakal said that in his very first tenure, Bava has cleverly allocated lot of work contracts to his relatives and friends. “The development work that Bava is now basking over were all sanctioned during the BJP rule in the state,” says Sathyajith.

While opinion of the activists and the BJP leaders could be called biased, Senior Congress leader and former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty too did not pat the back of the MLA. “Developmental works are of substandard quality. These works have been done for namesake. There is a nexus here, under which lot of work are being delegated on commission basis,” he said.

With a small group of people claiming that the MLA has been a good performer, Bava seemed to be the only one proclaiming that he has been an ‘excellent’ MLA. Speaking to NewsKarnataka.com about his developmental works in Mangaluru North Constituency, Bava said that having executed developmental works worth crores of rupees he would need several hours to talk about the same.

M'luru North constituency wants MLA with vision, anti-incumbency evident
M'luru North constituency wants MLA with vision, anti-incumbency evident
M'luru North constituency wants MLA with vision, anti-incumbency evident

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