Bengaluru, Jun 15 (PTI) BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday hit out at Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, accusing him of creating “government paralysis” by not appointing a fully empowered Bengaluru in-charge minister.
He alleged that since Shivakumar assumed office as chief minister, Bengaluru has not been given an in-charge minister with full authority.
“Since Shivakumar took charge as Chief Minister of Karnataka, and in the last 15 days, he has not given Bengaluru an in-charge minister. This turf war between him and his minister, Krishna Byre Gowda, is going on for far too long,” Surya told PTI Videos.
The development comes two days after senior minister Gowda, who has not yet assumed charge of the Greater Bengaluru Development portfolio citing ‘incomplete’ allocation of key city-related departments, said he had sought clarity on his responsibilities and was awaiting Shivakumar’s decision.
“It is very strange that the chief minister wants to keep with him the control over BDA (Bengaluru Development Authority) and BMRDA (Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority), two vital important parastatals, while giving Gowda, the Bengaluru in-charge minister, control over Greater Bengaluru Authority and five non-existing corporations,” Surya alleged, comparing the arrangement to “giving someone a car to drive and taking away the engine.” Surya alleged that the arrangement had adversely affected governance in Bengaluru, citing recent rains, pothole-ridden roads and delays in metro projects.
“It is very strange that the CM, who said he wants to do good for Bengaluru, is creating this kind of government paralysis. In the last two days, there was rain in the city. Many parts of the city got flooded and in a couple of places, the compound walls collapsed. The roads of the city are filled with potholes,” he alleged.
The BJP MP further claimed that no new metro proposals were given to the central government and that investors were moving away from Bengaluru due to “misgovernance or absence of governance.” He maintained that the issue was not about any individual but about ensuring accountability in the administration.
Surya said that it is completely the chief minister’s prerogative as to who he wants to appoint as the minister, but he cannot be giving the minister in charge of Bengaluru only half the responsibility.
Questioning how accountability could be fixed when responsibilities were split, he said BDA and BMRDA exercised control over key infrastructure and development projects in and around Bengaluru.
Stating that Bengaluru needs an empowered minister, the BJP MP said that, “Starting today, we are launching a campaign demanding the chief minister to give Bengaluru a full empowered minister whom the city and the citizens can hold accountable. We will remind the chief minister through social media every day.” PTI AMP KH
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