<p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s announcement of a Rs 1,100 crore allocation for road repairs in Bengaluru should have brought relief for citizens battered by potholes and endless traffic snarls. Instead, it has triggered yet another political row with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging discrimination in the allotment of funds. </p><p>Constituencies represented by the Congress are slated to receive Rs 50 crore each, while those held by the BJP will be allocated Rs 25 crore. The BJP has denounced this as “stepmotherly treatment”, a charge not without merit. Roads and potholes do not differentiate between political parties. They are a shared misery for all Bengalureans, irrespective of who represents their constituency. Ironically, when in Opposition, the Congress had accused the BJP government of similar partisanship.</p>.'Every city has potholes, why is Bengaluru only targeted': D K Shivakumar says.<p>This selective allocation of funds reflects a worrying trend: the weaponising of development for electoral gain. With the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections approaching, the Congress seems more intent on weakening the BJP than addressing the city’s pressing infrastructure needs. In the process, the government undermines the very idea of governance. Bengaluru, Karnataka’s economic powerhouse, contributes the lion’s share of the state’s taxes and jobs. It deserves equitable development, not lopsided progress dictated by political exigencies. </p><p>On the eve of the 2023 Assembly elections, the BJP government allocated nearly Rs 6,000 crore for Bengaluru roads. Much of that money went into asphalting, yet potholes have returned with a vengeance. Citizens, tired of the repeated cycle of broken promises to make Bengaluru pothole-free, have lost faith in the ability of political parties to deliver lasting solutions.</p>.<p>Shivakumar’s assurance that “every constituency benefits” rings hollow when the allocations are disproportionate. Uneven grants will inevitably lead to an imbalance of development, with some areas getting a facelift while others remain neglected. This is not how a global city should be governed. </p><p>Bengaluru is a hub for investment and innovation, but its aspirations are repeatedly undermined by poor infrastructure and petty politics. It is time Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy rose above party lines and acted like statesmen. They often speak of building a fair and equal society — this vision must begin with something as basic as roads. </p><p>Funds should be released based on ground realities — such as traffic density, road conditions, and population — not party affiliation. Citizens expect potholes to be filled, not political gaps to be widened. Bengaluru needs urgent repair, not discrimination.</p>
<p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s announcement of a Rs 1,100 crore allocation for road repairs in Bengaluru should have brought relief for citizens battered by potholes and endless traffic snarls. Instead, it has triggered yet another political row with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging discrimination in the allotment of funds. </p><p>Constituencies represented by the Congress are slated to receive Rs 50 crore each, while those held by the BJP will be allocated Rs 25 crore. The BJP has denounced this as “stepmotherly treatment”, a charge not without merit. Roads and potholes do not differentiate between political parties. They are a shared misery for all Bengalureans, irrespective of who represents their constituency. Ironically, when in Opposition, the Congress had accused the BJP government of similar partisanship.</p>.'Every city has potholes, why is Bengaluru only targeted': D K Shivakumar says.<p>This selective allocation of funds reflects a worrying trend: the weaponising of development for electoral gain. With the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections approaching, the Congress seems more intent on weakening the BJP than addressing the city’s pressing infrastructure needs. In the process, the government undermines the very idea of governance. Bengaluru, Karnataka’s economic powerhouse, contributes the lion’s share of the state’s taxes and jobs. It deserves equitable development, not lopsided progress dictated by political exigencies. </p><p>On the eve of the 2023 Assembly elections, the BJP government allocated nearly Rs 6,000 crore for Bengaluru roads. Much of that money went into asphalting, yet potholes have returned with a vengeance. Citizens, tired of the repeated cycle of broken promises to make Bengaluru pothole-free, have lost faith in the ability of political parties to deliver lasting solutions.</p>.<p>Shivakumar’s assurance that “every constituency benefits” rings hollow when the allocations are disproportionate. Uneven grants will inevitably lead to an imbalance of development, with some areas getting a facelift while others remain neglected. This is not how a global city should be governed. </p><p>Bengaluru is a hub for investment and innovation, but its aspirations are repeatedly undermined by poor infrastructure and petty politics. It is time Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy rose above party lines and acted like statesmen. They often speak of building a fair and equal society — this vision must begin with something as basic as roads. </p><p>Funds should be released based on ground realities — such as traffic density, road conditions, and population — not party affiliation. Citizens expect potholes to be filled, not political gaps to be widened. Bengaluru needs urgent repair, not discrimination.</p>
