‘Shouldn’t I Have Been Invited?’: Karnataka CM Slams Centre Over Sigandur Bridge Inauguration
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has slammed the Centre for bypassing protocol after he was left out of the inauguration of the Rs 473-crore Kalasavalli-Ambargondlu (Sigandur) bridge in Shivamogga district, which took place on July 14 without the presence of any Karnataka government representative. The 2.44-km cable-stayed bridge, India’s second longest, was inaugurated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari amid criticism from the Congress-led state government.
In a statement on X, Siddaramaiah said his office was neither consulted nor informed before the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways printed and circulated invitations with his name. “Shouldn’t they have invited me? Shouldn’t they follow protocol?” Siddaramaiah told reporters, adding that he had personally called Gadkari and written to him requesting a postponement, but the event went ahead under “pressure from local BJP leaders.”
The Chief Minister added that he received the official invitation only on July 11, three days before the event, when he was already committed to a state-level function in Vijayapura. “True cooperative federalism demands meaningful engagement with State Governments before finalising public programmes of such importance,” Siddaramaiah said.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and district-in-charge minister Madhu Bangarappa also criticised the Centre, calling the move disrespectful. Shivakumar pointed out that Karnataka’s Irrigation Department had invested over Rs 2,000 crore in the project, and the state should have been consulted and given sufficient notice to attend.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari issued a clarification, stating that invitations were sent to Siddaramaiah on July 11 and again on July 12 for virtual participation, and that the Centre had followed protocol. Gadkari emphasised that the Union Government remained committed to cooperative federalism.
BJP Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya defended the Centre’s actions, saying, “All protocols have been followed. If the Chief Minister chose not to participate, it speaks about his commitment to Karnataka’s development.” Surya credited local MP B.Y. Raghavendra for pushing the long-delayed project forward.
The controversy, which overshadowed what was meant to be a showcase of Centre-State collaboration, comes amid an already uneasy relationship between the Congress-led Karnataka Government and the BJP-led Union Government. The incident has also highlighted recurring tensions over protocol and political credit during large infrastructure inaugurations.
The Kalasavalli-Ambargondlu bridge, inaugurated on Sunday, is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Shivamogga and surrounding districts, easing transport bottlenecks in the region.
