BENGALURU: BJP leaders led by state president B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday launched a protest against the state government by painting potholes at various locations, including Ulsoor, Shivajina g a r, S h a n t h i n a g a r, Mahadevapura and CV Raman Nagar. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, former deputy Chief Ministers K S Eshwarappa, R Ashok with Yeddyurappa painted potholes.
A broken chair with ‘CM’ painted on it was kept in one such pothole. Shettar said the state government claims to have spent `8,000 crore to `10,000 crore on roads and other infrastructure for Bengaluru. “If they had really spent so much money and works were done scientifically, the city would not have been in such a situation after rains. Constructing roads is not a big thing.
The city should have proper underground drainage system, sewage treatment plants to avoid flooding and thus avoid damaging roads.’’ Ashok, former deputy chief minister, said in the upcoming Assembly sessions, they would target the Congress government for the poor condition of roads which has led to deaths. He also blamed Bengaluru Development Minister K J George for the deaths. But the minister has denied that the potholes are the cause for deaths. Opposition leader in BBMP Council Padmanabha Reddy said their visit to rain-affected areas in the city was not an election manoeuvre. “As Opposition members we can protest and bring it to the notice of the state government,” he said. Balaji Srinivas, state convenor, social media cell of BJP, said they have not launched a pothole campaign as such, instead they are just reflecting the concerns of the public.