Karnataka minister slams BJP for ‘credit hijacking’ of Bengaluru Metro

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge launched a sharp political attack, accusing the BJP of “hijacking” credit for the project.

In a post on X, Kharge wrote: "I welcome Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Karnataka for the inauguration of the Yellow Line Metro. As the BJP desperately tries to shift the focus from #VoteChori to #CreditChori by hijacking the credit for the Yellow Line phase 2, let's set the record straight. The Metro project was launched under the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh. In the first phase, the UPA government bore a significant portion of the cost, outpacing the state government's contribution."

Kharge alleged that the BJP-led Centre had scaled back its commitment to the Metro after coming to power. "After the BJP came to power, their commitment to the project dwindled, with the Central Government's share decreasing drastically in subsequent phases," he claimed.

According to the minister, the Karnataka Government has carried the lion’s share of the financial burden. "The Karnataka Government has shouldered the bulk of the expenses, contributing over Rs 12,000 crores, covering land acquisition costs and additional expenses," Kharge said. "In stark contrast, the Central Government has provided a paltry Rs 8,000 crores, effectively washing its hands of its responsibilities. This lack of support forced BMRCL to take loans to cover the remaining project costs."

The Congress leader also linked the Metro funding row to a broader pattern of what he termed “inequality” in the fiscal relationship between the state and the Centre. "While Karnataka's contributions to the Centre continue to grow year after year, the returns to the state diminish and the Metro Yellow Line project is a glaring example of this," he remarked.