Union Minister lobbied for Bommai as CM: BJP MLA

Bengaluru: The Mahadevapura constituency MLA AravindLimbavali made a shocking statement in the presence of the Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar, at an Intel event held on Friday. MLA AravindLimbavali said, "Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar being close to PM Narendra Modi has lobbied for CM BasavarajBommai to the Chief Minister post." However, the Union Minister later clarified that he has no role in appointing the Chief Minister.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar along with MLA AravindLimbavaliinaugrated Intel India's new state-of-the-art design and engineering center in Bengaluru. Speaking at the event, MLA AravindLimbavali started with a question to all the employees: 'How many of you know Kannada here?', to which only few employees raised their hands. He said, "My first request is who don't know Kannada please learn Kannada. I know that nobody will go back to their own state, you want to stay in Bengaluru. That too in my area. As Kannada is also a sweet language like Devanagari and English, but you can't find all words in english. In Kannada you find good words, so please learn Kannada language."

He said, As a Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Rajeev Chandrashekar did check the campus and several other things. My first request to Rajeev Chandrashekar is please visit outside the campus also, while chatting with me he had stated that the infrastructure in this area has to be improved. So, I need Rajeev Chandrashekar and Ashwath Narayan's help. Don't treat it just as a Mahadevapura constituency, it is a new Bengaluru, as my constituency people are the highest tax payers for the BBMP, state government and the central government. So our double engine government has to provide more funds for the development of this area, which is my request."

The Minister added: "As Rajeev Chandrashekar has a very good rapport with our Prime Minister, also he has lobbied for our Chief Minister BasavarajBommai in making him as our Chief Minister." Please make use of it, as an IT Minister you can ask them to provide more fund to this area, MLA AravindLimbavali requested the Union Minister.

As Bengaluru is popularly known as Silicon Valley of India, ofcourse Electronic city is also part of the Silicon valley and it has its own administration. As ORRCA(Outer Ring Road Companies Association) and other organisations are making their effort in developing this area.As a civilian i have to look after my own constituency, I did not practice my civil engineering because I became a politician. Later started practising civil engineering, after becoming an MLA in my constituency. So lot of issues I am addressing, AravindLimbavali said.

Continuing with his address, the minister said: 'My first request to companies is that don't come here now, in further. Because they were explaining it to me that 2,000 people are working in this building, and 4,000 in the other campus only in Intel. If you calculate on the ring road, there are so many companies on ORR. If you are working from 9 to 5, what will be the fate of the traffic on road? We are now creating metro, but still we cannot move in this traffic. Thank god, Corona has saved us, as people are working from home. Only about 30 percent of people are coming to office now. So let them work from home, we will complete our metro project work as there wont be traffic problem. This is the fate of my areas traffic problem', he said.

He said, 'I need Rajeev's help, as they have put in their effort. Because of Rajeev Chandrashekar, PC Mohan and other Bengaluru MP's, recently our PM has launched the suburban rail. Even the metro project is done on a 50:50 partnership of state and central goverenment. Our state government has announced on the other metro line from Sarjapur road(Dommasandra) to Hebbal. The survey work has started and DPR is getting ready. The speed of the metro work is being seen on the ORR, as the work starts on Sarjapur road it will be done in the same speed.

Apart from that, from the state government grants we are creating lot of Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) roads in Mahadevapura constituency. From ring road to periperial road there is 150 feet road, almost 70 percent is completed. To reach airport, there is another way to reach through east airport approach road which is almost ready. Even that work has started, few bridge works are pending. In one year the connecting road will be ready, then it will just take 30- 45 minutes to reach airport. Other issues are regarding encroachment, the builders have encroached storm water drains and lakes. Recently, we have experienced in Bellandur - Sakra Hospital road, the water was stagnant for 3 days because one of the builders had encroached SWD, he said.

Adding to it MLA AravindLimbavali said: 'Another request to the companies, please spend your CSR for Mahadevapura constituency, atleast 50 percent of the funds, so that the schools, lake and hospitals will get improved. My other request is please provide unskilled job to the locals. There are people from Bangladesh, so dont bring them for these jobs. During the Covid time, i had surveyed and had distributed food for them also on humanitarian grounds. They are all illegally residing in this constituency. I would request Rajeev Chandrashekar to impress PM and CM to pool in more funds for the development work.

However, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar said, "Today, Aravind had a long list of requests for me, but he has been an old friend and shares a deep passion for our city Bengaluru. As he works relentlessly to our city, so it was a friendly banter between me and him. I would like to clarify that I have no role in appointing the Chief Minister, as he gives me that credit. I just want to clarify everyone about that."