Nikhil Kumaraswamy, a leader from the Janata Dal (Secular) and grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has criticized the Congress government, blaming them for the decline of Bengaluru and Hyderabad. He revisited an old post by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on X, where Shivakumar had pledged to transform Bengaluru into the best city in India by the end of 2023.
What Nikhil said?
Back in 2022, DK Shivakumar, then in opposition, had challenged the erstwhile Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR), who was attempting to attract investments to Hyderabad by highlighting its superior infrastructure over Bengaluru. At the time, Shivakumar confidently stated, "KTR, my friend, I accept your challenge. With Congress in power in Karnataka, we will restore Bengaluru’s glory by the end of 2023."
However, the political landscape shifted in 2023 when Congress emerged victorious in the Karnataka and Telangana assembly elections, establishing governments in both states. Now, with rising concerns over Bengaluru’s deteriorating infrastructure, Nikhil Kumaraswamy has questioned the Congress administration regarding their promises made two years ago. He remarked, "With Congress ruling both Hyderabad and Bengaluru, there is no challenge left to accept, and certainly, no glory to expect."
Recently, DK Shivakumar's comments on Bengaluru’s traffic woes have sparked widespread debate. Addressing the city's infrastructure issues, he stated, "Bengaluru cannot be transformed in just two or three years. Even God cannot achieve that. Proper planning and execution are necessary to bring about change."
{{/usCountry}}Recently, DK Shivakumar's comments on Bengaluru’s traffic woes have sparked widespread debate. Addressing the city's infrastructure issues, he stated, "Bengaluru cannot be transformed in just two or three years. Even God cannot achieve that. Proper planning and execution are necessary to bring about change."
{{/usCountry}}Also Read - 'Even god can't fix Bengaluru's traffic soon': DK Shivakumar's remark sparks outrage on X
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara echoed similar sentiments, pointing out that Bengaluru was never designed to accommodate its current population. He said, "It is widely known that Bengaluru struggles with infrastructure problems. The city was not originally built for such a large population or the massive number of vehicles. With 1.4 crore residents and an equal number of vehicles, traffic congestion will persist unless new infrastructure is developed."
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have strongly criticized the Congress government, accusing them of neglecting the city’s issues rather than working towards viable solutions.