RESULTS of elections to an urban civic body, even if it is the Ban-galore City Corporation, is by no means a clear indicator of the political atmosphere in a state. But for a party making its debut in the uncertain arena of electoral politics, it holds significance for the simple reason that it can affect its temperament and future plans based on the harvest reaped in the elections. And the pathetic harvest reaped by Ramakrishna Hegdes Rashtriya Navanirmana Naagarika Samithi (RNNS) in the Ban-galore City Corporation (BCC) polls held last week, has dealt a strong blow to the party besides once again fuelling questions about Hegdes political future in the state.
Of the total 100 seats for which elections were held, RNNS contested from 87 wards and had proclaimed its confidence of becoming the ruling party in the corporation. Hegde had himself campaigned in pockets of the city and had made noises about Bangalores development not receiving the attention it required. But when the results were announced, RNNS found itself at the receiving end of a severe drubbing with just three seats in its kitty. It was as if a prologue to the political obituary of the Rashtriya Navanirmana Vedike (RNV), the apolitical parent body of RNNS, had been written even before it could climb out of the cradle.