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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday lashed out at the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly and BJP Leader R Ashoka for criticising his rounds for inspecting road construction in the city and questioned if BJP Chief Ministers conducting rounds in Bengaluru are for photo shoots.
"When BJP CMs were doing city rounds, R Ashok accompanied them. Was all that a gimmick? Was it for photo shoot? BJP is jobless, and hence it is nitpicking," he said while speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence. He was replying to R Ashok's social media post alleging that his city rounds were a photo shoot rather than genuine inspection. "We are doing our job. Whitetopping is a big-budget project. It is imperative for us to ensure that the project is progressing well and hence I wanted to I oversee it personally. We would like to complete the Rs 1700 crore project on time," he said. He said that the aid under Anna Bhagya and Gruhalakshmi schemes had been pending for three months and would be released soon. "We walk the talk," he said. Earlier in a post on X, R Ashoka asked DK Shivakumar if taking photos in the name of whitetopping work solves Bengaluru's problems. "As the Minister for Bengaluru Development, if you truly care about Brand Bengaluru, you have a lot of work to do. Despite spending Rs 660 crore, thousands of potholes are still open across Bengaluru city. The summer season, from March to April, is a good time to close potholes and repair roads. If the government does not wake up now, it is guaranteed that potholes will once again become death traps for the public in the next monsoon season," R Ashoka said in the post. "Last year, you colluded with the tanker mafia and extorted people. Are you taking any action to ensure that the people of Bengaluru do not suffer for water during the summer season this year, or are you leaving the people to the mercy of the tanker mafia?" he further asked. He said that Dy CM Shivakumar should take precautions this year to prevent water from flowing into Tamil Nadu from the KRS network. "No matter how much water is released, it is guaranteed that the people of Tamil Nadu will take it. Prepare for a legal fight now. Get ready to present a strong argument in favour of Karnataka. By the way, you were nowhere to be seen as Deputy Chief Minister in the pre-Budget meetings held by CM Siddaramaiah. Did you even make an effort to convince the Chief Minister about what projects Bengaluru city needs in the Budget and how much funding will be required for them, or did you forget your duty in the tussle for a chair?" he asked. "Given the absence of Dy CM Saheb from the pre-Budget meetings, it seems that perhaps he was not invited at all. Or it seems that DK Shivakumar, who is only a nominal DCM in the CM Siddaramaiah government, has been completely ignored as if he is not a part of the game," he further added. (ANI)
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