Bengaluru BJP Delegation Meets CM Siddaramaiah, Seeks Higher Funds for City's Development

A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and Members of Parliament (MPs) from Bengaluru met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday, demanding increased financial allocation for the city in the upcoming state budget. The delegation, led by state BJP President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, urged the Chief Minister to allocate Rs 150 crore for each Assembly segment within Bengaluru for sustained urban development.

Increased Budget Allocation and Infrastructure Focus​

Highlighting their concerns, BJP leaders pointed out that during previous BJP-led governments under Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, Bengaluru regularly received allocations between Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 crore annually for city development. Vijayendra emphasized that no such substantial allocations had been made over the past two years, resulting in stalled or slow-moving infrastructure projects such as flyovers.

The delegation specifically requested an allocation of at least Rs 6,000-8,000 crore for Bengaluru city development in the upcoming 2025-26 state budget, scheduled to be presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 7. Notably, this budget will mark Siddaramaiah's 16th budget presentation.

Metro Fare Hike and Constituency-specific Funds​

Another key issue raised by the delegation was the recent hike in Bengaluru Metro fares. MPs PC Mohan and Tejasvi Surya urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to communicate with the fare fixation committee and reconsider this hike to ease the financial burden on daily commuters.

Additionally, the delegation stressed the need for dedicated funds to constituencies represented by first-time MLAs, facilitating equitable development across Bengaluru. The leaders argued that when BJP governed the state, budget allocations were uniformly distributed irrespective of political representation.

Call for Early BBMP Polls and Governance Reforms​

The BJP delegation also pressed for conducting Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections at the earliest, cautioning against delays attributed to proposals such as the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill. BJP leader Vijayendra stated that elections should not be postponed under the pretext of establishing the Greater Bengaluru Authority, a proposal currently under legislative consideration.

Earlier this week, a joint select committee chaired by Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad submitted its report recommending splitting Bengaluru into multiple corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority. BJP leaders indicated they would internally discuss the division proposal but insisted on timely BBMP elections.

Opposition Raises Concern of "Discrimination" in Fund Allocation​

Expressing concern over alleged discrimination, BJP leader R Ashoka emphasized that Bengaluru’s overall development has stalled for two years due to inadequate budgetary support. Ashoka asserted that during BJP administrations, budgetary support was allocated to all constituencies without political bias, urging the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to adopt a similar inclusive approach.

Responding positively to the delegation’s demands, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly assured that he would make appropriate allocations within existing financial constraints.

The delegation further highlighted concerns regarding an "unscientific" tunnel road project planned for the city, pledging to raise the matter again for reconsideration.

As Bengaluru awaits the presentation of the 2025-26 state budget, expectations remain high for substantial infrastructure and urban development funds to sustain the city's reputation as India's technology and innovation hub.