Bengaluru: With 48 hours to go before Karnataka goes to the polls, the war of words between the two main contenders for the prestigious Bangalore South seat turned even more acrimonious, with former IT czar Nandan Nilekani objecting strongly to his rival and sitting BJP MP Ananth Kumar taking credit for the toilets built in the city by public-minded citizens, as well as its spanking new international airport.
“My opponent claims that the BATF Nirmala toilets were funded by him,” Mr Nilekani said. “The BATF Nirmala toilets were funded by Sudha Murty in her personal capacity and built by BATF. Ananth Kumar had nothing to do with it,” he said in a statement.
Mrs Murty is the wife of N.R. Narayana Murthy, who together with Mr Nilekani founded the IT bellwether Infosys in Bengaluru, setting off the IT boom in the city that now employs 3.5 lakh.
Mr Nilekani, who has been at the receiving end of an unrelenting barrage from Mr Kumar and others in the BJP on the Aadhaar, Mr Nilekani’s brainchild, noted on Monday that Mr Kumar is taking credit not just for work done by other political leaders, but also by Bengaluru citizens.
Saying the five time MP, who has represented the constituency for 18 years was also taking credit for setting up and naming Kempegowda International Airport, Mr Nilekani said: “The foundation stone of Kempegowda International Airport was laid when Mr S.M. Krishna was Chief Minister, and named when Mr Krishna was a Central Minister.”
While “Ananth Kumar maybe rattled by his imminent defeat,” Mr Nilekani said “that should be no excuse to take credit for things you have not done. You shouldn’t be harvesting the fruit of the trees in your neighbour’s yard.”
