Congress has done everything to stall Bengaluru civic polls: BJP

Bengaluru, Aug 16: Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ananth Kumar today alleged that Congress had done everything possible to stall the city civic polls as it feared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would lose his position if the party was defeated.

"Congress tried to stall BBMP polls by approaching High Court and Supreme Court, but they were admonished. They want to subvert democratic elections as they fear rejection by people.

Siddaramaiah also felt it will be the beginning of his countdown," he told reporters at the launch of BJP's Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) election manifesto here.

Flaying the Congress government for 'neglecting' the city's development, Kumar said his party, if voted to power, plans to enhance revenue from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 5000 crore. The manifesto says efforts would be taken for maximum realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project of 'Digital India' through BBMP.

"An upgraded BBMP mobile app that enables citizens to access the Palike's services from the comfort of their homes will be made available," he said.

Kumar said BJP plans to use latest technology to identify and track legal flexes and hoarding and enhance advertisement revenue from Rs 10 crore to Rs 100 crore in five years.

Steps have already been taken on setting up garbage processing units at Kannamangala, Doddaballaupra and Subbarayana Palya to address the menace of 3,500 tons of solid waste generated daily in the city, Kumar said. Along with these, 40 bio-methanisation plants would be set up across the city, he added.

Kumar said BJP plans to spend Rs 5,000 crore to enhance basic infrastructure in the city by using central, state and and BBMP grants.

Other promises made in the manifesto include signal free corridors, building more elevated roads, underpasses and flyovers wherever necessary, concretising major roads in the city at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore, developing parking areas, zones and complexes in PPP mode, for which the estimated cost was Rs 2,200 crore.

PTI