BJP criticises Priyank Kharge over 40 pc decline in startup investment in K'taka

Bengaluru, Dec 1 Karnataka BJP has slammed Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), IT and BT Priyank Kharge over a 40 per cent decline in startup investment in the state this year. The party has mocked Minister Kharge for taking great interest in indulging in political mockery and neglecting his portfolios.

The Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka stated on Monday, "There is great interest in political mockery but no interest in technological innovation. This is the work style of our state’s IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge."

"Priyank Kharge, who constantly pokes his nose into matters unrelated to him, insists on banning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and keeps taunting people politically at every opportunity, seems to have neither awareness of his responsibilities nor any interest in them," he stated.

"Because of Minister Priyank Kharge’s indifference and inactivity, startup investment in our state has seen a steep 40 per cent decline today. Karnataka and Bengaluru, once renowned as the capital of innovation, are now forced to bow their heads before other states," Ashoka stated.

"Our state needs an active IT Minister who thinks about the future of young innovators and investors and works to strengthen the state’s innovation ecosystem -- not a troll minister who spends all his time indulging in political mockery," Ashoka slammed.

"In short, Karnataka cannot progress until it is freed from this cursed Congress-led government in Karnataka," Ashoka stated.

Ashoka quoted a report by Tracxn, a market intelligence platform headquartered in Bengaluru. The key findings included that the first half (H1) of 2025 saw a 44 per cent year-on-year drop in funding for Karnataka's startup ecosystem. Q1 2025 alone saw a 23 per cent drop compared to the last quarter of 2024.

Further talking about the ambitious tunnel project of the Congress-led government in Bengaluru, Ashoka questioned, "Ignoring public opposition and expert opinion, and despite the fact that it will harm the environment and endanger surface and groundwater sources, for whose satisfaction is Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, pushing ahead with this unscientific tunnel road project?

Ashoka further said, "The Rs 18,500-crore tunnel road being built in Bengaluru is nothing but a 'collection scheme' by Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar to offer a bounty to the high command in order to fulfil his dream of becoming Chief Minister. There is no doubt about this."

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