BJP leaders want massive budgetary allocation for Bengaluru development

BENGALURU: A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs led by its State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra on Friday met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru with a demand to allocate a whooping Rs 8,000 crore in the State Budget for the development of Bengaluru city. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah holding the Finance Ministry will present the budget on March 7.

The delegation complained the budgetary allocation for development of Bengaluru city has come down for the last two years and pointed out when BJP was in power under B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, Bengaluru city received Rs 8,000 crore towards its development.

Vijayendra told reporters the delegation sought adequate funding for flyover works which have been going at a snail’s pace among other infrastructure works and by release of adequate funds, they urged the Chief Minister to expeditiously complete the pending works.

The State BJP president said the delegation asked the Chief Minister to initiate steps to hold early elections to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and not to delay elections to BBMP citing formation of Greater Bengaluru.

Vjayendra said the BJP MLAs will take up discussions on State Government proposed underground road tunneling in Bengaluru city to decongest traffic and he termed the tunneling project proposal as “unscientific.”

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka said he BJP leaders waited for two-years before they decided to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to draw his attention to the 'pathetic' condition of Bengaluru roads and pending infrastructure works among others hindering growth of Bengaluru city.

The BJP leaders said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded positively to their request on budgetary allocation for Bengaluru city.