Bengaluru: The NICE Road controversy is fast turning into a war primarily between Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and DK Shivakumar, one which the chief minister can ill afford to brush aside as another political attack. Kumaraswamy is not merely questioning the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project; he is linking alleged changes in the project, land transactions and properties in Bengaluru to Shivakumar and his family.Kumaraswamy has raised specific questions on changes to the original framework agreement, expansion of land requirements, acquisition of land notified for the project, NOCs and properties around Hosakerehalli toll plaza. He has also questioned the rise in Shivakumar’s family’s declared assets and alleged that changes to the project benefited private interests. He has threatened to release more documents to back his claims.Shivakumar has rejected the allegations as false and politically motivated. He has said his family’s assets, currently valued at around Rs 1,400 crore, were acquired legally through business and investments and disclosed to statutory authorities. He has challenged Kumaraswamy to submit evidence to the income tax department.But the CM faces a political problem beyond the allegations themselves. The NICE dispute already has a substantial legal history, with the Karnataka high court’s July 29 order dealing with land acquisitions arising from the 1997 framework agreement and subsequent proceedings concerning BMICP. Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the high court proceedings has ensured the project remains under legal scrutiny.Kumaraswamy’s questions over the project’s evolution come in this backdrop. He alleged that the 2004 outline development plan substantially altered the original framework, with land earmarked for the tolled road increasing from 6,999 acres to 9,469 acres. He also alleged that land notified for the project was subsequently acquired by Shivakumar’s family members.He accused Shivakumar of attempting to pressure him through influential people, including a serving IAS officer, to stop his attacks and alleged that an offer was made to take care of his party’s expenses for the 2028 assembly elections if he dropped the campaign. However, none of these allegations have been independently established.Shivakumar’s supporters have countered the JD(S) chief with minister HC Balakrishna accusing Kumaraswamy of holding land in the NICE project area. Kumaraswamy rejected the charge, saying he bought the land before entering politics, when he was involved in agriculture.Political analyst Vishwas Shetty said Kumaraswamy was raising questions that can easily be answered through official records. “Once specific agreements, survey numbers, govt decisions and transactions are put in public domain, political denial alone may not settle the issue,” he said.Political strategist MB Maramkal said the NICE row could resonate in Old Mysuru, where both Vokkaliga faces are seeking political space. “With Kumaraswamy promising more documents, Shivakumar faces the challenge of countering the Union minister’s narrative ahead of 2028 assembly elections,” he said.
