In the run-up to the Karnataka elections, one was reminded of the song from The Sound of Music — “how do you solve a problem like Maria, how do you catch a cloud and pin it down … how to make her stay and listen to all you say….” This certainly was the case with the candidates. How does one get them to commit and be held accountable when they are masters of doublespeak, pinning blame on others and evading responsibility?
There was the purists’ view about the state’s legislators being responsible for passing laws and that expecting them to solve local civic issues was not justified. But the reality in our cities is that the state government calls the shots and citizens expect MLAs to mediate between the corporators and the multiple government agencies to get a better deal for the constituency. If the MLAs did not wish to get involved in fixing local civic problems, then they needed to pass laws to truly empower the third tier of city government. And for the record, the crowds outside an MLA’s place expecting local solutions are an indicator of citizen expectations.
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