As Bengaluru battles floodwaters once again, the political blame game between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP has intensified, turning the city’s waterlogged streets into a battleground for fiery accusations and counterattacks. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who oversees Bengaluru, stirred controversy after stating that only BJP-held constituencies are severely impacted by the floods. “These issues have occurred mainly in areas where BJP MLAs are elected. This proves they’ve done no work. On the other hand, Congress MLAs have completed the necessary projects in their areas,” he claimed during a tour of rain-affected neighborhoods.
“Permanent Solution Coming,” Says Shivakumar Shivakumar blamed the previous BJP government for ignoring encroachments and failing to act in time. “Many of these encroachers have court stays. Yet, we are clearing them,” he said. The Deputy CM noted that the number of flood-prone zones has reduced from 211 to 166, and 24 out of 44 pending projects are currently underway. “There’s no need to panic. The city is being transformed,” he assured residents.
BJP, JD(S) Lash Out
The BJP has accused the Congress of indulging in celebrations instead of governance, and demanded a White Paper on infrastructure spending. They’ve also called for the immediate release of ₹1,000 crore in emergency funds. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka questioned the Congress’s past promises, stating: “They said the same thing last year, yet the same areas are flooded again. What work have they actually done?”
Former CM and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy escalated the war of words by calling Shivakumar “nalayak” (incompetent), to which Shivakumar responded sharply, branding Kumaraswamy as a “frustrated man.” In response to the criticisms, Shivakumar challenged the Opposition to a public debate, saying, “Call anyone — Ashoka or others. I’m ready to face them in front of the media.” Meanwhile, JD(S) dismissed the “Brand Bengaluru” campaign as a “real estate scam,” sarcastically labeling the city “Looters’ Bengaluru.”
Action Across Party Lines?
Despite his sharp criticism of the BJP, Shivakumar claimed that development works were also progressing in BJP-held areas. Referring to former BJP minister Aravind Limbavali, he said, “We’re addressing the land acquisition issues for road widening in his constituency. It will be handled under disaster management protocols and taken up at the Cabinet level.” As floodwaters disrupt daily life, the political downpour continues to dominate the headlines, leaving citizens wondering whether solutions or speeches will define the future of India’s Silicon Valley.
