Priyank Kharge Accuses BJP of Taking Undue Credit for Yellow Line

Quick Summary

• Karnataka Rural Growth minister Priyank Kharge accused the BJP of taking undue credit for Bengaluru metro’s Yellow Line Phase 2 project.
• Mr. Kharge stated that the Karnataka Government contributed ₹12,000 crore to the project, while the Central Government provided only ₹8,000 crore.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro and also flagged off a Vande Bharat Express train between Bengaluru and belagavi on August 10, 2025.
• Mr. Kharge emphasized that during UPA rule under Manmohan Singh, substantial funds were allocated for Phase 1 of the metro but alleged a decline in Central commitment after BJP came to power.
• Tejasvi Surya, BJP MP from Bengaluru South, countered these claims by stating that PM Modi is driving meaningful infrastructure projects for Bengaluru’s benefit and criticized Congress for attempting to claim false credit across various achievements.
• The project faced funding shortages leading BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail corporation Limited) to secure loans.
• It is estimated that combined developments like Yellow Line and upcoming Orange line could perhaps impact around 18 lakh daily commuters.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The inauguration of Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line marks an significant achievement in improving connectivity within one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. However, political debates over credit-sharing underscore broader concerns about cooperative federalism in India’s large-scale infrastructure projects. While Karnataka has invested significantly more than its federal counterpart into this particular phase of metro development-covering land acquisition costs among others-the event highlights how collaboration between states and the center often comes under scrutiny due to differing narratives.

from a functional perspective, wiht surging urban populations requiring seamless transit options like metros or express trains such as Vande Bharat Expresses linking key cities (Bengaluru-Belagavi), prioritizing shared accountability might be preferable over competitive politics focused merely surface optics.

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