BJP workers took out a massive protest in Bengaluru on Tuesday against the unscientific property tax hike by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The protest created traffic jam and brought the central zone to a grinding halt for few hours. The protesters were demanding withdrawal of “unscientific hike” in property tax rates and demanded better solid waste management in the city.
Several senior BJP leaders, including State president BS Yeddyurappa, city unit president Subba Narasimha, MP PC Mohan, city MlAs R Ashok, Suresh Kumar and CN Ashwath Narayan among others took part in the protest. They were later detained by the police even before they could reach the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office. According to BJP the protesters had planned to lay siege to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office with the demand of complete roll back of the hike and better solid waste management in the city.
Yeddyurappa blasted the ruling congress government and blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for burdening the people with more taxes. He said the State Government had burdened the common man by hiking power tariff, milk prices, levying transport cess, besides increasing the property tax.
Demanding complete roll back of the property tax hike, he warned of intensifying the protest if the roll back does not happen.
Politically this protest is significant for the BJP as being the single largest party in the BBMP they could not capture power last year and chief minister Siddaramaiah in his political one-upmanship tied up with JDs and held on to power. But after Yeddyurappa took over as the State BJP chief the BJP is eyeing to get back BBMP and might strike a chord with JDs with its soaring relationship with the congress to snatch the power from ruling coalition.
After lingayat strongman Yeddyurappa taking over the reins of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party the party seems to be making a bid to wrest power from the Congress in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike council. The BJP had failed to capture power in the BBMP following the elections to the council last year even after it emerged as the single-largest party by winning in 101 wards.