CM DK Shivakumar Announces ₹2,238 Crore Projects Ahead of Hiriyur Bypoll, BJP Hits Back

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday announced development projects worth ₹2,238 crore for Hiriyur taluk in Chitradurga district, ahead of the Assembly by-election, drawing sharp criticism from the BJP, which termed the announcements election-driven promises.

Addressing a gathering at Dharmapura after performing the bhoomi puja for various projects on Tuesday, Shivakumar said he had come with a responsibility to fulfil the development vision of late minister D Sudhakar, whose death necessitated the by-election. He said he had brought sanction orders for several development works and described himself as carrying the "Goddess of Development".

A major component is a ₹244-crore irrigation project involving the construction of a submersible diversion weir across the Vedavathi River to collect and pump 0.3 TMC of water. The project also includes laying 28 km of MS pipelines and 16 km of HDPE pipelines to improve water availability in the drought-prone region. It is expected to be completed within 20 months.

Other announcements include a new KSRTC bus stand at Dharmapura, near the Andhra Pradesh border, and ₹500 crore for community halls in Hiriyur. The Chief Minister also announced special grants for drinking water and road development in Chitradurga district, along with plans to distribute five lakh housing sites and houses across Karnataka this year. He further referred to projects worth ₹2,200 crore across four hoblis of Hiriyur, taking the overall allocation to around ₹3,000 crore, according to his claims.

Shivakumar said Hiriyur was as important to him as his home constituency, Kanakapura, adding that 10 ministers had accompanied him with departmental sanction orders.

He also criticised the BJP and JD(S) over the Bhadra project, alleging that ₹5,300 crore announced during former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's tenure was never released.

Expressing confidence in the Congress's electoral prospects, Shivakumar said the party would make history in Hiriyur and return to power in 2028. On the demand to field Sudhakar's son Suhas, he said four surveys had been commissioned before the party makes its final decision.

Responding to the announcements, Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said nobody believed Shivakumar and accused him of undermining even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. BJP leaders termed the projects an election-related eyewash, questioning the government's financial capacity while alleging delays in Gruha Lakshmi payments.