BENGALURU: The political spat over the NICE-Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project intensified on Wednesday, with Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy and ministers trading fresh charges and counter-charges.
Kumaraswamy, in a post on X, claimed that official documents and records established the alleged irregularities in the project. He alleged that Shivakumar himself was involved in the alleged wrongdoing and had “implicated his entire family” in it.
Taking a swipe at ministers defending the CM, Kumaraswamy said they were making “futile attempts at justification” despite the documents being clear. He alleged that the ministers were defending Shivakumar out of fear that their continuance in the cabinet could be at stake.
Kumaraswamy referred to Shivakumar’s tenure as Urban Development Minister and his stint as chairman of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority (BMICPA), claiming that records pointed to alleged irregularities during the period. He said records should be examined in the context of successive governments.
HDK’s deal with Kheny failed, says Balakrishna
Municipal Administration Minister HC Balakrishna alleged that Kumaraswamy had once approached NICE chairman Ashok Kheny for a “deal” and, after it did not materialise, had resorted to “blackmail”. “Because your deal didn’t happen with Kheny, you started this blackmail,” he alleged.
He challenged Kumaraswamy to approach the courts if he had evidence of wrongdoing with respect to Shivakumar’s assets. Balakrishna also alleged that Kumaraswamy was engaging in blackmail and said the government would later release what he described as its “KGF 2”.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Priyank Kharge said Kumaraswamy, being a Union Minister and former CM, had had ample opportunity to act if he believed there were illegalities in the NICE project. “If there is anything illegal, give it to PM Modi or Amit Shah. You are a Union Minister yourself-who is stopping you?” Kharge asked.
Kharge challenged the BJP and JDS leaders to a special session to examine the assets of politicians and their relatives.
