Bengaluru rains: Political slugfest erupts as city comes to a standstill

THe torrential overnight rainfall that brought Bengaluru to a standstill has reigniting political attacks on the say authorities o'er its manipulation of the metropolis’s crumbling infrastructure.Leader of Opposition R Ashoka criticised deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who is also the nodal minister for Bengaluru development, accusing him of being more interested in politics than governance.“What Karnataka Congress promised: Brand Bengaluru, What Karntataka Congress delivered: Beach Bengaluru. Part-time Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar, if you are done with your brother DK Suresh’s Milk Union Elections, kindly give some time to Bengaluru,” he said.“Bengaluru has been turned into Venice after just one spell of rain. The Congress’s apathy has ruined Silicon City. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have no vision for this global city other than using it as an ATM to fill their coffers,” said BJP leader Amit Malviya in a post on X. Former chief minister and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy led the charge, launching a blistering attack on the Congress government and questioning the effectiveness of the newly implemented Greater Bengaluru Governance Act. “Greater Bengaluru sinks when it rains heavily and floats when it rains lightly,” he said in a statement, mocking the law as a tool that has enabled more corruption instead of improving city governance. “It’s not ‘Greater Bengaluru’ anymore. It’s ‘Looters’ Bengaluru’,” he remarked.Pointing to gaping potholes, exposed drains, and recurring floods, Kumaraswamy accused the government of misusing public money. “There’s not even soil to fill a pothole, but tenders worth thousands of crores are floated for tunnel roads. Do they think people are lifeless stones who won’t protest?” he asked.The downpour, one of the heaviest in recent years, saw the Bengaluru Urban observatory record 132 mm of rainfall, while Somasettihalli in Bengaluru North registered 119 mm, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). In localities like Sai Layout in Horamavu, rescue teams had to deploy boats as residents waded through knee-to-waist-deep floodwaters.Opposition BJP leaders echoed the JD(S) leader’s criticism. C N Ashwath Narayan, MLA from Malleswaram, wrote on social media, “Crores spent. Zero results. Last night’s rains didn’t expose Bengaluru’s infrastructure, they exposed DK Shivakumar’s track record of the last two years of doing nothing.”Karnataka BJP general secretary and Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar Karkala demanded transparency. “Let the government publish a white paper showing how much has actually been spent on infrastructure,” he said, urging citizens to see the ground reality at traffic hotspots like Silk Board junction.BJP spokesperson Ashwath Narayan Gowda accused the government of ignoring advance warnings about the downpour. “Despite the weatherman predicting heavy rainfall almost a week ago, there were no efforts made to prepare for the monsoon,” he said. Blaming Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for the chaos, he added, “From Brand Bengaluru to Greater Bengaluru, and now from Greater Bengaluru, it has become Submerged Bengaluru.”Gowda said the city’s taxpayers had been let down. “Bengaluru pays the maximum taxes in Karnataka, but the investment needed for basic infrastructure is missing. No major development work has been done in the past two years,” he said.Deputy CM Shivakumar responded by stating he was actively coordinating relief efforts. In a social media post, he wrote, “I’ve been in continuous touch with the concerned officers, and I’m closely monitoring the situation. As always, I remain committed to Bengaluru — working round the clock to address challenges and ensure relief. I will be visiting the BBMP War Room and flood-affected areas personally to take stock on the ground.”Shivakumar acknowledged the long-standing nature of the city’s civic issues. “Let us be clear: the issues we face today are not new. They have been ignored for years, across governments and administrations. The only difference now is, we are working to solve them. Not with temporary fixes, but with long-term, sustainable solutions.”“To my fellow Bengalureans, I am one among you. I understand your concerns, I share your frustration, and I assure you of my commitment to resolving them. I stand with you,” he added.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah monitored the unfolding crisis from the BBMP War Room, where he received updates from BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath and other senior officials. According to a statement from the CM’s office, “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah received information about the disasters caused by heavy rains in Bengaluru from BBMP Administrative Officer Tushar Girinath at the BBMP War Room and gave advice and instructions on relief measures. He instructed the officials of the affected areas over the phone and instructed them to take necessary measures as soon as possible.”The Chief Minister was joined by Deputy CMs D.K. Shivakumar and K.J. George, Chief Secretary Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, and MLAs including N.A. Harris. Political Secretaries to the CM and Council members also took part in the emergency meeting to review the situation.With inputs from agencies