"Boy In A Hurry" Vs "Politics of Delay": DK Shivakumar And Tejasvi Surya Clash

The opening of the new Yellow Line section of the Bengaluru metro has sparked a row between Karnataka's Congress government and the BJP over BJP leader Tejasvi Surya inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has called him a "boy in a hurry", accusing him of announcing the details and sending the invitation without consulting the state government. Tejasvi Surya has hit back, calling the Deputy Chief Minister "ageist' and "insensitive" and said theirs is a "politics of delay". 

"I am part of a young generation in India that wants reforms today -- not in some distant future," Mr Surya told NDTV in an exclusive interview. "He (Shivakumar) may have no urgency because he comes from a party that represents the politics of delay," he said.

The metro, he added, is a requirement for thousands who have to spend two hours in public transport just to reach their office. 

"This is the situation and the Deputy Chief Minister says what is the urgency... A two-km flyover in my constituency took 8.5 years to complete. I am not okay with that," he added. 

The Congress, he has alleged, delayed the inauguration six times. "Recently, the seven MLAs of the Yellow Line area, two MPs, our district president, and hundreds of public members... all worked hard, protested, and demanded the inauguration be done by August 15," he said.

Earlier, giving reporters a ride in the new metro line, Mr Shivakumar had said Rs 7,610 crore has been spent on the line that covers 19.5 km.

"The clearances to operate this have come only on July 31. Our poor young MP who is inexperienced has been in a hurry but we can't do that. The technical clearances came only on July 31.  Today is August 5 and the Prime Minister has been given time to inaugurate this on August 10," he told reporters. 

Mr Surya accused the Congress of trying to take credit for a project for which they had little contribution.

"As soon as it was announced that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Metro line on Aug 10, yesterday they (the Congress) started publicity tours. The work on this Metro line began in 2018 and was supposed to be completed by 2021. Some problems occurred due to Covid-19, and some due to land acquisition. Even then, neither Congress nor anyone else came forward to help," he told reporters earlier.

"During the Covid-19 period, BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government was in power. Even during Covid-19, civil works happened under our (BJP) government. There were problems in calling workers, so we met former CM Yediyurappa and he released additional funds. Much work was done. Later, during former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai's tenure, we (the BJP) completed 95 per cent of the civil works. Their (Congress) government didn't even appoint a full-time Managing Director for BMRCL," Mr Surya alleged.