Bengaluru: Krishna Byre Gowda, the Bengaluru development minister, has strongly defended the allocation of the state’s ₹2,000-crore infrastructure package, arguing that Congress-held constituencies in the city were systematically shortchanged during the previous BJP govt tenure and are now receiving funds to bridge years of infrastructure deficits.The minister’s remarks come after criticism from Opposition leaders and civic groups over the distribution of funds under the latest package. As reported by TOI, a scrutiny of the govt order showed that Byatarayanapura, represented by Byre Gowda, received the largest identified constituency-wise allocation of ₹88.5 crore, while Bengaluru’s IT corridor received the lowest corporation-level allocation.Hitting back at the BJP, Byre Gowda said the party should first explain its own record before questioning the current allocations. He claimed that during the BJP govt’s four-year tenure, constituencies represented by BJP MLAs received a disproportionately large share of infrastructure funding. According to figures cited by the minister, Rajarajeshwarinagar received ₹850 crore, KR Puram ₹815 crore, Mahadevapura ₹790 crore, Bengaluru South ₹687 crore, Yelahanka ₹548 crore and Bommanahalli ₹501 crore.In contrast, constituencies represented by Congress and other Opposition parties allegedly received far smaller allocations. Byre Gowda said Gandhinagar received ₹120 crore, Dasarahalli ₹89 crore, Shantinagar ₹86 crore, Hebbal ₹85 crore, Sarvagnanagar ₹82 crore, Chamarajapete ₹76 crore, Pulakeshinagar ₹65 crore, Vijayanagar ₹60 crore and Byatarayanapura ₹144 crore during the same period.The minister claimed that while BJP-held constituencies collectively received around ₹485 crore, Congress-held constituencies got only about ₹101 crore, amounting to roughly 20% of the overall allocation. “If they had distributed funds fairly, there would have been no need for us to allocate more money to constituencies represented by Congress MLAs today. These areas have lost out on development for four years. We are only trying to bridge that gap and rectify the imbalance created earlier,” he said.Byre Gowda maintained that the current allocations are aimed at correcting historical disparities and ensuring neglected areas receive long-pending infrastructure upgrades, rejecting allegations that the latest package was politically motivated. The BJP, however, has questioned the distribution of funds and sought an explanation for the allocation pattern under the new civic infrastructure push.
