Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday shared an account of his recent travel on Bengaluru’s newly inaugurated Pink Line alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shivakumar revealed that he did not have money with him during the ride, leading the Prime Minister to pay for his fare by swiping his own smart card.
"I did not have money with me. So I told him, 'You buy my ticket'. He swiped his card for me as well," Shivakumar told reporters, as quoted by the news agency PTI. The Prime Minister inaugurated the new Metro corridor on November 13 and was accompanied on the journey by Shivakumar, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda, and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.
Addressing his interaction with the Prime Minister, Shivakumar stressed that political competition should be restricted to election campaigns. He argued that there should be a clear distinction between development initiatives and partisan politics, adding, "We all have to work together in the interest of the nation... He wants development to happen."
The Chief Minister also noted Karnataka's role in the national economy, highlighting that the state is the country's second-highest taxpayer and second-highest contributor to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He further mentioned that the state produces approximately 1.5 lakh engineers and 13,940 doctors annually, whose professional services extend across the country.
Key facts
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bengaluru Metro Pink Line corridor on November 13.
- The delegation on the inaugural ride included D.K. Shivakumar, Krishna Byre Gowda, and Tejasvi Surya.
- D.K. Shivakumar stated that Prime Minister Modi used his own smart card to pay for the Chief Minister's fare.
- Karnataka is reported to be the second-highest GST contributor and taxpayer in India.
- The state produces an estimated 1.5 lakh engineers and 13,940 doctors every year.
Why it matters
The Chief Minister's comments underscore a call for cooperation between state and central leadership on infrastructure projects. By emphasizing the state's economic contributions, Shivakumar highlighted the shared national interest in maintaining development momentum in Bengaluru despite political differences.
Source: Times of India
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