Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 22: The BJP and the ruling Congress in Karnataka have locked horns over the proposed division of Bengaluru, with the saffron party terming it an insult to the city's founder, Kempe Gowda.
Addressing the media at the BJP’s state office, leader of the opposition R Ashoka strongly opposed the Congress government’s move to restructure Bengaluru, stating that 90 per cent of Bengalureans respect Kempe Gowda’s vision and would not support splitting the city.
“Bengaluru must remain united. Instead of fixing the existing problems, the Congress government is talking about dividing the city into six or seven zones under ‘Greater Bengaluru’. You can't even manage the city as it is, yet you are talking about expansion?” Ashoka questioned.
Ashoka ridiculed the state government’s priorities, pointing out the deteriorating roads, stalled projects, and unaddressed civic issues.
“Instead of conducting BBMP elections and focusing on the city’s 198 wards, the government is allowing development to stagnate. Now, they want to dig tunnel roads 150 feet underground. The city already has ‘tunnels’ in the form of potholes! Are they planning to go even deeper?” he mocked.
BJP State president BY Vijayendra also lashed out at the proposal, stating that splitting Bengaluru is not in the best interest of its development.
“This has been widely discussed, and there is a unanimous opinion that Bengaluru should not be divided. The Congress government must rethink this decision,” he asserted.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had introduced a Bill in July 2024 proposing to divide Bengaluru into smaller administrative zones for better governance, streamlined accountability, and improved quality of life.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is aggressively pushing for this plan, arguing that Bengaluru’s traffic and infrastructure woes require a new approach.
However, BJP leaders attacked Shivakumar’s recent statement, where he said that "even if God intervenes, Bengaluru cannot be fixed in the next two to three years."
R Ashoka called this a direct admission of failure, stating that the Congress government had crushed Bengaluru’s development.
“The city’s fate is now left to God. Garbage is piling up like towers in markets, potholes are claiming lives, and even IT veterans like Mohandas Pai have condemned the poor state of Bengaluru,” Ashoka said.
Calling Bengaluru an "orphaned city" under Congress rule, Ashoka alleged that the law and order situation has worsened, with the city slipping into the hands of mafias and dons.
He announced that BJP is pushing for early local body elections to restore governance in Bengaluru.
“A legal team of 15 members has been formed to fight for early elections in court. The only way forward is to bring elections soon and prioritize the city's development,” he declared.
Meanwhile, home minister G Parameshwara defended Shivakumar’s remarks, stating that Bengaluru’s infrastructure was never designed to handle its current population and vehicular density.
“With 1.4 crore people and an equal number of vehicles, congestion is inevitable. Unless we expand and improve infrastructure, traffic will remain a major challenge,” Parameshwara said.
He added that the government is considering flyovers, underpasses, and underground roads as long-term solutions.
“The problem can’t be solved overnight. It will take time and significant investment,” he admitted.
With both parties standing firm, the debate over Bengaluru’s future is set to intensify in the coming months.