Former K.R. Nagar MLA S.R. Mahesh on Tuesday claimed credit for more than ₹200 crore worth of projects that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched for the taluk last Friday.
Out of the ₹513 crore worth of projects that Mr. Siddaramaiah launched at a function in K.R. Nagar, Mr. Mahesh, who is also the working president of JD(S), said projects worth ₹150 crore had been approved during his tenure as MLA.
The ₹513 crore projects also included a bridge built two years ago at a cost of ₹35 crore, which was already in use, as well as the ₹30 crore sanctioned by the Centre for K.R. Nagar town after H.D. Kumaraswamy became a member of the Union Cabinet, Mr. Mahesh said adding that the ₹30 crore included ₹20 crore for Under Ground Drainage (UGD) sanctioned six months before his tenure ended in 2023.
Mr. Mahesh alleged that Mr. Siddaramaiah had laid the foundation stone for projects worth ₹237 crore, for which tenders had not been invited yet. Some of the projects may have secured administrative approval, but tenders had not been floated, he said. Tenders had been floated only for projects worth ₹20 crore, he claimed.
Challenging the ruling party for a debate on his contention, Mr. Mahesh accused Mr. Siddaramaiah of playing cheap politics. “Do you have to come by a helicopter to lay the foundation stone for projects worth a mere ₹20 crore?” he asked.
Mr. Mahesh played an audio recording of Mr. Siddaramaiah’s speech in which he alleged that the earlier MLA had ruined K.R. Nagar, and took serious exception to the Chief Minister’s statement. He claimed that he nursed the constituency as his own house during his tenure as an MLA and brought a number of projects to K.R. Nagar.
He sought to hit back at the Chief Minister by referring to the hike in prices of various essential commodities and services in the State. While the bus fare has been increased by 14 percent, metro fares have gone up by 15 percent. Similarly, the prices of milk, power, diesel, garbage cess, water, property tax, liquor, etc, too had gone up, he said.
Also, he alleged that the State government levies ₹291.36 for every LPG cylinder worth ₹861, whose basic price was ₹495.
Debt
Mr. Mahesh alleged that the State’s debt has increased by ₹4.91 crore during the last two years under Mr. Siddaramaiah’s rule.
While the total debt taken by all the Chief Ministers of Karnataka till October 2024 taken by the State was ₹7.81 crore, the loans taken during Mr Siddaramaiah’s tenure alone accounted for ₹4.91 crore, he claimed, and dared anybody for a debate on the matter.
Published – May 27, 2025 07:40 pm IST
