Bengaluru, Oct 29 (NationPress) Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, asserting that the BJP shows no genuine interest in the development of Bengaluru and questioned the actions of the previous BJP administration during their tenure in the state.

Shivakumar stated, "The BJP leaders lack concern for the development of Bengaluru. What initiatives did they undertake for the city when they were in power?"

In his capacity as the current Bengaluru Development Minister, he made these remarks while addressing various concerns at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office.

Responding to inquiries about BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's opposition to the Tunnel Road Project in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, "Neither he nor I am a technical expert. That's why we have a dedicated team of technical experts for such matters. If he suggests a suburban rail project, it can certainly be pursued; there’s no harm in that."

However, he emphasized that the necessary financial support must come from the Central government. "Our own leader, Union Minister V. Somanna, should assist in securing the required funds. The BJP can pursue their agendas or even protest—who is stopping them? Aside from Tejasvi Surya and Opposition leader R. Ashoka, no other BJP leaders are addressing these issues," he remarked.

When questioned if the Tunnel Road Project would face challenges similar to the Steel Bridge project, he replied, "We are fulfilling our responsibilities. The public observes our commitment and supports our initiatives. We are assured that our project will progress."

Regarding discussions about a potential "November Revolution" and the call for a Dalit Chief Minister in Karnataka, Shivakumar urged, "I ask everyone not to exhaust themselves with unnecessary discussions on such topics."

On whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would visit Karnataka on November 20 to lay the foundation stone for a new Congress office, he stated, "The date is still to be determined. I have made a request. We are preparing documents for the land to build the party office. The Congress high command has requested a report on the interest shown by Ministers, MPs, and district Congress presidents regarding this project, which I am compiling before submission. They will then decide on the date."

Discussing candidate selection for the upcoming Legislative Council elections at the KPCC office, Shivakumar shared, "We have about five to six candidates vying for tickets from each of the Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies. We expect to finalize candidates within the next eight to ten days. In our next meeting, we will consult party MLAs and district in-charge Ministers for their input prior to making final decisions," he concluded.