BJP Slams Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar Over Bengaluru’s Pothole Crisis and IT Firm Exodus
Bengaluru’s roads are a nightmare, with potholes everywhere driving IT companies to pack up and leave. Now, the Karnataka BJP is firing back at Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for calling out these complaints as "blackmail." The party says demanding better infrastructure isn’t a threat—it’s just citizens asking for what they deserve.
Shivakumar, who also handles Bengaluru’s development, made headlines on Thursday when he hit back at criticism from IT giants frustrated with the city’s crumbling roads. "No one can threaten or blackmail the government. I won’t stop anyone from going," he said, amid reports of companies eyeing a move out of Bengaluru due to poor road infrastructure.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka didn’t hold back on social media platform X. He mocked Shivakumar’s stance, linking it to Rahul Gandhi’s push for pothole-free roads. "If asking for safe roads is ‘blackmail,’ what happens when lakhs of angry citizens hit the streets? Will you declare an emergency in Bengaluru to shut them up?" Ashoka asked. He accused the Congress government of treating taxpayers like criminals for wanting basic fixes. "This is the real face of the ATM government—ignoring Bengaluru’s roads to fuel Rahul Gandhi’s politics. The city needs pothole-free roads, corruption-free governance, and humble leaders, not drama," he added. Ashoka warned that if the government doesn’t listen, people will speak out on the streets and at the polls.
Former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan echoed the anger, slamming the government’s arrogant response to IT firms’ complaints. "When companies that have stuck it out for years point out Bengaluru’s failures, the government can’t handle it," he told reporters. Narayan questioned Shivakumar’s "stay if you want, leave if you don’t" attitude. "Is this how a people-friendly government talks? Instead of arrogance, they should build trust and work for the public." He stressed that true governance means courtesy and care, but accused the Congress team of letting power go to their heads. Bengaluru, he noted, is India’s global tech hub—home to startups, entrepreneurs, and innovation that world leaders admire. "Yet, when its problems like bad roads are called out, this government loses its cool."
BJP MLA C.K. Rammurthy piled on, saying Shivakumar’s words have deeply disappointed the entire software industry in Bengaluru. "Leaders like Mohandas Pai and top IT companies raised valid concerns about pothole-ridden roads. The government should have invited them for talks and promised action, not brushed them off," he said. Rammurthy warned that software firms are already planning to shift to other states, which are rolling out the red carpet. "Bengaluru’s ring roads and major streets are a mess—no tenders called for repairs despite talk of Rs 25-50 crore budgets." It’s been two and a half years since Congress took power, he pointed out, with last year’s rains worsening the damage, yet no asphalt work done. "Shivakumar has done zero development, setting Bengaluru back by a decade." Rammurthy urged the government to engage with IT companies, keep them in Karnataka, and prioritize Bengaluru development—after all, the city generates 60% of the state’s tax revenue.
Former minister D.N. Jeevaraj took a sharp dig too, painting a grim picture of the Congress government’s "equal treatment" across Karnataka: potholes in every corner. "We come to Bengaluru from our hometowns and think, ‘Even the capital is this bad?’ But if we question them, they brag about spreading the mess statewide—roads so bad you can’t even walk," he said sarcastically. Jeevaraj shared heartbreaking stories from his constituency: two people died when a car swerved to avoid potholes, and four others broke legs in bike accidents, too poor for medical help. "This is the reality of Bengaluru’s road crisis under Congress."
The row highlights growing frustration with Bengaluru’s infrastructure woes, from potholes to traffic chaos, threatening the city’s status as India’s Silicon Valley. As IT companies weigh their options, the BJP demands quick action to fix roads and win back trust before it’s too late.
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