Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, on a day's visit to Bengaluru, took part in several events in the city virtually kicking off the party's campaign in the state. Karnataka is scheduled for assembly polls by March-April next year and the PM's visit is being seen as a kickstarter to BJP’s election campaign.
The PM first paid tributes to the statues of Kanaka Dasa and Maharishi Valmiki , after which he flagged off the inaugural special service of Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai, Vande Bharat Express. He also flagged off the Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan Train from Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) railway station in Bengaluru.
PM Modi also inaugurated Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport, which has been built with an investment of ₹5,000 crore and is expected to double the terminal’s yearly passenger capacity from 2.5 crore to five–six crore.
He concluded his trip to the city with the unveiling of a 108-foot bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda. The PM tweeted, “The role of Sri Nadaprabhu Kempegowda in the making of Bengaluru is unparalleled. He is remembered as a visionary who always put the welfare of people above everything else. Honored to inaugurate the ‘Statue of Prosperity’ in Bengaluru.”
Opposition disapproval
The leaders from the opposition parties expressed their disapproval. The President of Karnataka Congress, DK Shivakumar, questioned the State government’s decision to use government funds to construct the Kempegowda statue. Additionally, in a letter to the PM, he said, “it is our duty to bring to your attention the pathetic state of affairs due to the corrupt BJP government in Karnataka and the shocking inaction by the Central government.”
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and JDS leader hit out at the government, alleging that they were trying to gain political mileage by transforming the Kempegowda statue unveiling into a BJP event.