Ashoka slams DK Shivakumar, says he is 'too busy in Delhi' to focus on Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka on Monday attacked Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for spending more time travelling to Delhi and neglecting Bengaluru development.

Ashoka said this in the Assembly while initiating an adjournment motion, which Speaker UT Khader said would be converted into a discussion. Shivakumar was not present during this.

“Bengaluru contributes 65% of the state’s revenue, but there’s no development,” Ashoka said.

“The deputy CM has no time. He’s busy travelling between Bengaluru and Delhi. He’s got his own problems,” Ashoka said in a veiled reference to Shivakumar’s chief ministerial ambition.

Ashoka said Shivakumar, the minister in charge of the city, has been speaking about ‘Brand Bengaluru’ for the last 2-3 years. “The only brand is garbage, bad roads, traffic jams and the e-Khata problem,” he said.

The BJP leader also claimed that the government had not paid municipal authorities to manage waste for the last 6-7 months.

“All corporations have sought Rs 500-600 crore each. None has been given funds,” he said, adding that Shivakumar ‘threatened’ MLAs who sought developmental funds in exchange for garbage being dumped in their constituencies.