Mangaluru: KPCC spokesperson AC Vinayraj challenged Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath to an open debate on road development in the city and demanded a white paper detailing his eight-year development record. He accused the BJP MLA of staging protests to divert attention from his failures.Vinayraj told reporters that the BJP was in power in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) from 2019 to 2025 and in the state from 2019 to 2023. BJP had represented both Mangaluru North and South assembly constituencies for the past eight years, he said. “To evade responsibility MLA Kamath is staging protests. When everything was in his hands, why weren’t the roads of Mangaluru city developed? If he had truly served the people who elected him, there would have been no need to resort to these street dramas today,” Vinayraj said.He dismissed Kamath’s allegation that Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikas Yojana-1 (MGNVY-1) had been cancelled, and said that projects had been suspended temporarily due to technical issues. “Works worth Rs 645 crore have been announced, and the tendering process is complete and currently under execution. On what basis do you claim that grants are not coming to the city corporation?” Vinayraj asked.He also questioned the silence of Kamath and former BJP corporator Kavya Nataraj over the condition of Kadri Shivabagh road. “MLA sir, release a white paper to the people of Mangaluru stating how much grants you have brought to the city. We are ready for a direct debate,” he said. He also urged Kamath to stop claiming personal credit for the Mangaluru Dasara illuminations and sanitation, stating that these were funded by MCC.
