Karnataka govt set to announce city-specific guarantees tomorrow

Bengaluru: Guarantees are back on the table, this time for Greater Bengaluru Authority elections. Mobility, waste management, water supply and civic infrastructure will remain hot-button issues amid suggestions to collapse five corporations into North and South divisions for better administrative control.Buoyed by the success of five guarantees embedded into its manifesto for the 2023 assembly elections, Congress govt is preparing a Bengaluru-specific version, signalling its attempt to tighten grip over the state capital through targeted urban welfare promises.The guarantees are likely to be announced on May 13, a week before Siddaramaiah govt completes three years in office. The govt Monday appointed chairpersons to guarantee implementation committees in all five GBA corporations, which were vacant for the past two-and-a-half years. GBA polls are scheduled to be held in the later part of June.Deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar said discussions were held with AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, in charge of Karnataka, on the party's strategy for GBA polls. "I've instructed officials on a few issues. We will announce major guarantees for Bengaluru city alone and more details on these guarantees on May 13," Shivakumar told reporters on Monday.The announcement has triggered political discussion within Congress circles, with GBA polls seen as a crucial political test for the party in Bengaluru. Party leaders are reportedly working on promises focused on mobility, tax relief, waste management, water supply, housing and civic infrastructure — issues that have dominated public discourse in the city.Support For Two-Corporation ModelState Election Commission's directive to conduct GBA polls between June 14 and 24 has sparked a fresh debate within Congress. A section of functionaries is reportedly unhappy with the poll schedule as state govt is waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on its plea for an additional three months to complete administrative and legal processes linked to restructuring of Bengaluru's civic administration.A proposal to merge the five newly formed city corporations into two larger corporations — North and South — has gained traction. "There are concerns that four corporations may go in favour of the BJP-JDS alliance, and Congress may settle for Central if smaller parties such as SDPI and independents do not cut into the vote share. Such an outcome could politically weaken the Bengaluru leadership within the party," a senior Congress functionary said.He added that issues such as unscientific ward delimitation and implementation of women's reservation could provide valid grounds for seeking an extension from the Supreme Court. "All these concerns could be addressed by merging the five corporations into two, based on assembly segments through an ordinance and then holding polls. Such a move may help the Congress retain stronger administrative control over Bengaluru," the functionary explained.