BJP and JD(S) to jointly fight against ‘irregularities’ in the Bangalore-Mysore Infra Corridor project

PTI, Jul 22, 2023, 9:27 AM IST

Opposition parties BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka on Friday jointly announced their fight against alleged irregularities in the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project promoted by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).

The announcement was made by former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai of BJP and H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) in a joint press conference, where they urged the Congress government to take over the NICE project and order a judicial inquiry.

NICE has been accused of violating the ”framework agreement” with the government while implementing the BMIC project.

Pointing out that there is a report by the House Committee headed by senior Congress MLA T B Jayachandra and a Cabinet sub-committee report headed by former minister J C Madhuswamy, regarding the NICE project, the leaders said that taking over the NICE Project would generate Rs 20,000-30,000 crore worth revenue for the government.

”The company acquired 13,000 acres of excess land, and as per the court order it has to be taken over by the government,” Bommai said.

Noting that the Supreme Court has said that the government has powers to initiate action regarding excess land, they wanted the Congress government to make its stand clear on the issue, pointing out that Jayachandra had raised the issue in the Assembly demanding action.

On his part, Kumaraswamy alleged that a toll amounting to Rs 1,325 crore has been collected illegally.

Complementing former CM Bommai for taking action with respect to winning court cases against NICE, he claimed that he was helpless as CM of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government. ”You know what was my situation in coalition government,” he said.

JD(S) wanted to raise the NICE issue in the assembly, but it could not raise it as the party decided to boycott the proceedings on Thursday and Friday along with BJP, following the suspension of 10 BJP MLAs for their ”indecent and disrespectful” conduct in the House.

Reacting to this, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the NICE project was brought in when JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda was CM (1994-96). ”If there were irregularities, they could’ve taken action when they were in government. We did not do any scam. We will not do vindictive politics,” he said.