Gadkari opens Rs 472-cr Sigandur bridge, CM and ministers boycott event | Bengaluru News

Shivamogga/Bengaluru: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari Monday inaugurated Sigandur bridge — India’s second-longest cable-stayed structure — in Shivamogga district amid a political row as chief minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues boycotted the event claiming they were invited at the last minute.The Rs 472-crore bridge, built over Sharavathi backwaters between Ambaragodlu and Kalasavalli in Sagar taluk, is expected to significantly cut travel time for devotees heading to Chowdeshwari temple in Sigandur, besides reconnecting villages cut off since the construction of Linganamakki dam in the 1960s.Gadkari, in a post on X, said an official invite was sent to the CM on July 11, followed by a letter on July 12, inviting his virtual presence. The CM acknowledged receiving the invite on July 11 but said “such last-minute communication cannot be considered due consultation”.In a strongly worded letter to PM Narendra Modi, Siddaramaiah criticized the Centre for organizing a programme in Karnataka without consulting the state govt.He said protocol was violated by printing the name of a former CM before the names of deputy CM, speaker of the Assembly and Chairman of legislative council. Proceeding with the event despite the state’s explicit objection, he said, amounted to sheer arbitrariness and defied the spirit of cooperative federalism.Hours before the event, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru, “As a mark of protest, none of us — PWD minister, district minister, Sagar MLA or I – are attending the inauguration. I had personally called Gadkari and asked him to postpone the programme. He said he would. But now, bowing to pressure from local BJP members, they went ahead with the event. I had a prescheduled event at Indi (in Vijayapura). It was scheduled a month ago and I’ll be there.“Accusing the Centre of “deliberately” trying to create a rift between Centre and state, Siddaramaiah said, “It is they (Centre) who should invite us. Who started the friction? Protocol must be followed. The event is being held in our state, and we are in a federal system.”Attaching the twin letters to his X post, Gadkari said, “The central govt continues to uphold established protocols… committed to cooperative federalism.”About the controversy, deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “The CM should have been informed well in advance. The state govt should have been taken into confidence. The CM has already said in a letter that his event in Indi taluk is also important. More than Rs 2,000 crore is being provided by the irrigation department.” Asked if the oversight was deliberate, Shivakumar said, “Let’s talk politics later.”AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka and Congress MP, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said “insulting” the people of Karnataka and Kannadigas has become a habit of BJP. “This is not just an insult to the chief minister, but to seven crore people of Karnataka.”Shivamogga MP Raghavendra said he had “respectfully invited the CM” on July 9 and added, “I urge you to immediately retract your statement… this bridge is the result of six decades of struggle.”Gadkari, cabinet colleague Pralhad Joshi, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and BY Raghavendra participated in the ceremony.++STANDALONE QUOTENeither I nor my office was consulted before your ministry finalised the Shivamogga event and circulated invitations with my name. The official invite reached us only on July 11, just three days before the event. My office immediately informed you of my prior commitment in Vijayapura and requested rescheduling. Such last-minute communication cannot be considered due consultation. True cooperative federalism requires meaningful coordination. I remain committed to working with the Union government for Karnataka’s people and hope future engagements reflect mutual respect__Siddaramaiah | CM