Bengaluru, Karnataka, October 20, 2025 – Escalating political tensions in Karnataka's capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling Congress government of rampant favoritism in doling out multi-crore infrastructure contracts, demanding an independent judicial probe into alleged kickbacks worth ₹500 crore. The controversy, centered on the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) tenders for metro expansions and flyover projects, has ignited a fierce war of words just months ahead of the 2026 assembly bypolls.
The allegations surfaced dramatically during a BJP-led protest march outside Vidhana Soudha, where state BJP president BY Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition R Ashok led a delegation of over 5,000 party workers, waving placards decrying "Congress Corruption 2.0." Vijayendra, flanked by firebrand MP Tejasvi Surya, alleged that contracts for the ₹3,000 crore Namma Metro Phase 3 extensions were awarded to "friendly" contractors linked to Congress bigwigs, bypassing competitive bidding norms.
"This is textbook cronyism—contracts funneled to the CM's inner circle while Bengaluru chokes in traffic hell," Vijayendra thundered to a phalanx of reporters, brandishing a dossier of purported documents. "We've evidence of ₹500 crore in kickbacks, with 20% slush funds siphoned to party coffers via shell firms in Dubai and Singapore. The people of Bengaluru deserve transparency, not this loot-and-scoot game." Surya amplified the charge on X, posting: "Siddaramaiah's 'guarantee' schemes are built on kickback guarantees! Time for a CBI raid on Raj Bhavan Road. #ExposeCongressCorruption."
The BJP claims the favoritism favors a consortium involving Chennai-based Larsen & Toubro (L&T) affiliates and local players with ties to Deputy CM DK Shivakumar's family businesses, citing irregularities in e-tender portals where bids were allegedly manipulated post-submission. A whistleblower RTI activist, cited anonymously in the party's complaint to the Governor, pointed to "ghost subcontractors" inflating costs by 30% on the Hebbal flyover upgrades.
Congress leaders swiftly dismissed the accusations as "desperate BJP fiction" to derail the government's flagship Bengaluru Development Agenda. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing the media from his Krishna Rajendra Road residence, rubbished the claims as "recycled vendetta from the 2018 scandal ghosts." "Our contracts are audited by CAG and follow the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act to the letter," he retorted. "The BJP, who left a ₹2 lakh crore debt legacy, now cries foul? Let them file a formal complaint—we welcome scrutiny."
Deputy CM Shivakumar, a lightning rod for such barbs due to his infrastructure portfolio, fired back in a combative presser: "Tejasvi's tweets are longer than his legislative record. These are sour grapes from a party that couldn't build a pothole-free road in their rule. BBMP tenders are open to all—BJP firms can bid if they stop boycotting progress." Congress insiders hint at a counter-offensive, planning to highlight BJP's own past lapses in the Bengaluru airport runway scam.
The row has gripped the city's civic discourse, with urban activists and chamber of commerce leaders calling for an ombudsman-led inquiry. "Bengaluru's infra woes—floods, crumbling bridges—can't afford political ping-pong," said Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, CEO of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The Karnataka High Court has already taken suo motu cognizance of similar tender disputes, scheduling a hearing next week.
As the monsoon-drenched streets of Bengaluru bear witness to yet another political storm, the BJP has vowed to escalate the matter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and petition President Droupadi Murmu for President's Rule if the government stonewalls. With Diwali lights twinkling amid the acrimony, one thing's clear: Karnataka's political tinderbox is far from extinguished.
With inputs from BJP and Congress party sources.
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