Latest news with #KarnatakaCongress
India Today
17 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Unwell or sidelined? Shivakumar left out from Siddaramaiah's meetings with MLAs
In a move that has once again highlighted simmering tensions within the Karnataka Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday convened a meeting with all party legislators at his chamber in Vidhana Soudha to discuss the allocation of Rs 50 crore development grants. The development has raised eyebrows within the party, especially as Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has been kept out of the exercise, fuelling fresh speculation over the growing rift between the two top grants were announced following a meeting between Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala and the party's MLAs, after which discussions were held with both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. Sources said the high command had advised both leaders to take legislators into confidence, especially those upset with the government's handling of funds and regional despite this, the Chief Minister decided to go ahead with the meeting without including Shivakumar in the process. According to party insiders, MLAs said that the Deputy Chief Minister's exclusion had left them 'anxious'. Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the Chief Minister's decision, clarifying that similar constituency-level meetings were held during the previous tenure as well. 'The Chief Minister will meet and speak with MLAs district-wise. Rs 50 crore is being granted to MLAs. Other constituency issues and party developments will also be discussed. This isn't new. In the last tenure too, when I was state Congress committee president, the Chief Minister came to the party office and we met all MLAs,' he added, 'We are in the middle of a five-year tenure. What can be done in the next two-and-a-half years will be discussed. The Deputy Chief Minister is unwell, or he might have come.' However, Shivakumar's scheduled departmental meeting raised questions about the actual reason for his absence from the Chief Minister's is not the first instance where Shivakumar has been excluded. During budget meetings held earlier this year, Siddaramaiah chaired the sessions with his political secretaries—Basavaraj Rayareddy, K Govindaraj and Nazir Ahmed—along with key planning officials, while keeping the Deputy Chief Minister out of the time, instead of the usual Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office setting, the Chief Minister is holding the MLA consultations from his chamber in Vidhana Soudha. Party insiders saw this as a deliberate move to assert control and sideline the snub, Shivakumar remained unperturbed and is scheduled to hold departmental review meetings related to his portfolios, including the Bengaluru Development Department, on Tuesday and Wednesday.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Don't know reason behind Dhankhar's resignation: Kharge
Vijayapura: CongressPresident Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he has no information on the actual reason for Jagdeep Dhankhar resigning as the Vice President. Dhankhar has to tell what really happened as the matter is between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said. Noting that Dhankhar always took the government's side, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said he never allowed the opposition, whenever it tried to raise issues, whether it was concerning farmers or poor or on foreign policy issues. "I don't know all those details. He (Dhankhar) was always on the government's side. He should say what happened," Kharge said in response to a question whether Dhankhar was forced to resign as he spoke in favour of farmers. Speaking to reporters here, Kharge said, "When we raised several issues concerning farmers, poor, international issues or foreign policy, he never used to give us an opportunity (in Rajya Sabha as its Chairman)." "When we tried to raise issues by giving notices on issues regarding the poor, atrocities against women, dalits and downtrodden, and incidents like Hindu-Muslim clashes, he did not give us an opportunity. It (reason for Dhankhar's resignation as Vice President) is between him and Modi. We don't have any information on that," he added. In a sudden move, Dhankhar on July 21 evening resigned from his post as Vice President, citing medical reasons, triggering speculation in political circles. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said he was stepping down with immediate effect to "prioritise health care". Responding to a question about changing the Karnataka Congress president, Kharge said, "All those things cannot be said now. Will speak later." Currently, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is holding the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president post on an extended tenure. There have been voices within the ruling Congress in the state to replace him, citing him holding two key positions.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Lost his mental balance' jibe: DK Shivakumar attacks Pramod Sawant over Mahadayi project; Goa CM hits back, says it reflects 'Congress culture'
NEW DELHI: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant has hit back at Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, saying his remarks reflect 'Congress culture', after Shivakumar accused him of having 'lost his mental balance' over the long-running Mahadayi river dispute. Shivakumar's comments came after Sawant told the Goa assembly earlier this week that his government would move the Supreme Court against Karnataka for continuing work on the Kalasa-Banduri project, despite the matter being under judicial consideration. On Friday, speaking to reporters in Panaji, Sawant said, 'We are pursuing our demand to save Mhadei from being diverted. Shivakumar's statements reflect the Congress culture. When someone is frustrated, they speak like this.' You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Sawant also accused Karnataka Congress leaders of competing 'to see how low they can stoop'. The Kalasa-Banduri project seeks to divert water from the Mahadayi river, known as Mhadei in Goa and Mandovi in its downstream flow, to supply drinking water to parts of northern Karnataka, including Dharwad and Belagavi. Goa has consistently opposed the diversion, citing environmental concerns and its impact on the state's biodiversity. The river is a key source of water and one of the two major rivers in the state. In 2018, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft of water to Karnataka, 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra, and 24 tmcft to Goa. The award was notified by the Centre in 2020. The dispute continues to be a politically sensitive issue in both states.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
BJP leader dares DK Shivakumar to open debate on Bengaluru tunnel road project
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya dared Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to an open debate on the controversial tunnel road project in Bengaluru, calling it an 'unscientific' and 'elitist' initiative that will worsen the city's traffic woes. Surya's challenge comes in response to the Karnataka Congress's post on X on July 16, in which the party defended the Rs 18,500 crore project and dismissed Surya's earlier criticism as 'misleading, political pandering and short-sighted.'advertisementThe back-and-forth between the Karnataka Congress and Surya began after the Bengaluru South MP posted a statement on X on July 14, calling the 18-kilometre tunnel between Hebbal and Central Silk Board as a 'vanity project' for the rich. 'When the Deputy Chief Minister himself says that even God can't fix Bengaluru traffic, he's revealing his own incompetence rather than working on solutions. We don't need divine intervention — we need competent governance,' he claimed the tunnel road would primarily serve 'the crorepatis of Sadashivanagar and the millionaires and billionaires of Koramangala fourth block', with the proposed toll of Rs 660 pricing out the common man. He argued that the Congress-led state government was undermining public transport and prioritising private vehicle infrastructure, despite studies warning of increased congestion. The Bengaluru South MP also questioned the project's economic rationale, saying it demanded a viability gap funding of Rs 7,100 crore and cost more than major national infrastructure like the Atal Tunnel, Mumbai Coastal Road, and the 655-kilometre Trivandrum–Kasargod highway. 'Why is this tunnel road so expensive? At whose cost is the Congress, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister trying to loot the state?' he alleged the project would benefit contractors and the Congress party, not the public. 'We will fight this by exploring every possible means at our disposal. We will fight inside the courts, the Vidhana Soudha, and the Parliament. We will build public momentum so that this project, which is going to be a disaster for the city, will never see its daylight,' he also flagged irregularities in the Rs 9.5 crore Detailed Project Report (DPR), alleging it contained references to Malegaon and Nashik and was partly copied from the Metro DPR, which cost only Rs 1.6 crore. He claimed one of the consultants involved was debarred in a National Highways Authority of India project in Madhya Pradesh and linked the authors to a Rs 500 crore scam in Jammu and pointed out that the project had not been cleared by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), which is mandatory under Section 19 of the BMLTA Act. 'Bengaluru is not just a city, it's the beating heart of modern India, and it deserves infrastructure that matches its global stature,' Surya said, calling for investment in Metro, Suburban Rail and BMTC buses Karnataka Congress, responding on July 16, accused Surya of 'misleading' the public and dismissed his criticism as 'political pandering'. It defended the tunnel as a vital, signal-free, high-capacity corridor forming part of a larger multimodal mobility vision, alongside Metro expansion (over 70 km under construction), Suburban Rail (148 km), BMTC upgrades, ring roads, and arterial road from being elitist, the party claimed the project would reduce surface congestion and indirectly help the 90 per cent of commuters who rely on public or non-motorised transport. 'You've rightly stressed the importance of public transport, but progress is not a zero-sum game. Roads and rail must co-exist,' it cited its urban transport investments under the United Progressive Alliance government and said Shivakumar was continuing that legacy with 'bold multimodal interventions'. 'We welcome public audits, technical scrutiny, and open debate. But don't stall progress by labelling every transformative project as wasteful. Citizens deserve efficient execution, not polarised discourse,' it July 17, Surya replied on X: 'Good Morning. If you truly welcome technical scrutiny and public debate on this tunnel road project, I propose an open discussion with Hon. DCM Sri @DKShivakumar who is spearheading this project. Let the time and place be of your choosing Am waiting to hear back from you.'- Ends advertisementIN THIS STORY#Bengaluru#Karnataka
Hans India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Tunnel project row: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya challenges Dy CM Shivakumar to public debate
Bengaluru: National President of the BJP Yuva Morcha and MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday challenged Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister for an open talk and public debate regarding the Bengaluru tunnel project. Tejasvi Surya claimed that the project only helps elite car owners and won't reduce the traffic jams in Bengaluru. Responding to the attacks by Surya, Karnataka Congress had stated on its social media handle X, "This isn't about political credit. It's about 'Brand Bengaluru', a city that needs the state and Centre to work together. We welcome public audits, technical scrutiny, and open debate. But don't stall progress by labelling every transformative project as wasteful. Citizens deserve efficient execution, not polarised discourse." Surya refering to this, stated on Thursday, "If you truly welcome technical scrutiny and public debate on this tunnel road project, I propose an open discussion with Dy CM Shivakumar who is spearheading this project. Let the time and place be of your choosing." "It will definitely be beneficial to discuss the merits and demerits in a healthy way. Am waiting to hear back from you. Thanks," he said. "When we oppose Bengaluru's tunnel road project, some cite Singapore as a model. But even Singapore scrapped similar mega tunnel plans after realising they were costly, unsustainable and ineffective at decongestion. Don't cherry-pick examples. Learn from Singapore's correction too," Surya stated. He further asked Dy CM Shivakumar, "Why should we repeat mistakes others have walked away from?" "BJP will strongly oppose the tunnel road project, which is nothing but a loot of public money under the guise of development," the Bengaluru South MP claimed. "This 18-km tunnel road project for Bengaluru, costing Rs 18,500 crore, is planned exclusively for cars from Hebbal to Dairy Circle. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) and feasibility report are riddled with inconsistencies and irregularities," Surya claimed. According to the report, the tunnel can carry 600–1,600 people per hour and if bikes and two-wheelers are allowed, it could handle about 7,500 people per hour. However, as of now, the plan allows no access for buses, autos or two-wheelers. The BJP MP has raised objections to the project stating that if a Metro were built instead, it could carry 25,000 people per hour. 'Do we want a project that helps only car owners or a metro project that benefits 25,000 people per hour?' Surya asked. The Deputy Chief Minister himself said a toll would be levied on the tunnel. The DPR mentions one way toll fee of Rs 660. 'How many people in Bengaluru can afford to pay Rs 660 daily to commute?' he asked. 'This is a tunnel for the millionaires of Sadashivanagar, Dollar's Colony, and 4th Block Koramangala. It seems tailor-made to help D.K. Shivakumar and his close relatives travel to their homes in Koramangala,' Surya alleged. Surya stated, 'BJP opposes the tunnel road project. We will fight to ensure that every single rupee of the people is protected.'
