Karnataka: Political slugfest over invitation for bridge inauguration

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s absence at the inauguration of the Sigandur Bridge on Monday triggered a political slugfest with the BJP and the CM trading barbs on social media, each blaming the other for failing to follow protocol.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who inaugurated the bridge said that an official invitation had been extended to Siddaramaiah on July 11 and a subsequent letter sent on July 12 requesting that he participate in the event virtually.

In response, Siddaramaiah wrote on ‘X’, “Neither I nor my office was consulted before your (Gadkari’s) ministry finalised the programme, and circulated the invitation with my name on it. The invitation was sent to me only three days prior to the event. We had requested that the event be rescheduled since I had commitments in Indi in Vijayapura. This cannot be construed as proper consultation. True co-operative federalism demands meaningful engagement.”

Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP accused the CM of ‘spreading falsehoods’ and disrespecting the people. While Gadkari had extended an invitation to Siddaramaiah on July 11, Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra had invited the CM on July 9, the BJP said 

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly R Ashoka accused the CM of politicising a historic moment. Ashoka sought to know whether Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi had directed Siddaramaiah not to attend the event. 

Siddu writes to PM on ‘protocol breach’

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday formally protested what he termed a serious breach of protocol during the foundation stone laying ceremony for nine National Highway projects in Shivamogga district. 

Siddaramaiah stated that he came to know about the programme only through other sources. Upon learning of the event, he personally contacted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on July 11, 2025, and also sent a written request the same day, urging that the event be postponed due to a prior commitment. 

He was scheduled to attend another foundation-laying ceremony on July 14 in Indi Taluk, Vijayanagara District. The Chief Minister attached a copy of his July 11 letter written to Gadkari and claimed that the Union Minister had verbally assured him that the programme would be postponed.

However, “despite receiving verbal assurance from the Union Minister (Gadkari) that the event would be postponed, the ceremony proceeded as originally planned,” Siddaramaiah wrote.