KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao lashes out at PM over Horse trading in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Feb 10: Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches BJP's campaign in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress Sunday questioned the saffron party over its alleged bid to topple the coalition government is the state.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a rally at Hubballi in northern part of the state later this evening.
Speaking to reporters here, Pradesh Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao posed a few questions to Modi and demanded answers from him.
"Your (PM's) popular slogan has been, 'Na khaunga, na khane dunga' (I will neither indulge in corruption, nor let others indulge in it). Then how did you let horse-trading and bribing of MLAs by your party leaders take place in Karnataka? Are you willing to take any unethical action in order to attain power?" he questioned.
"How do you justify statements of your party leader (B S) Yeddyurappa in an audio clip that surfaced, where Yeddyurappa offered money to MLAs to switch sides and spoke about your illegitimate control over the judicial system," he asked.
"Please make it a point to answer these very legitimate questions during your visit to Hubballi. These questions aren't political in nature. These are quintessential questions of public importance, especially to the people of Karnataka," he said.
Amid the turmoil in the ruling coalition that has cast a shadow over the stability of his government, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had Friday released the audio clip in which Yeddyurappa was purportedly trying to lure JD(S) MLA Naganagouda through his son.
The state BJP strongman had, however, said the audio clip was 'fake' and a "concocted story".
The KPCC chief also alleged discrimination by the Centre against the state, saying Karnataka was reeling under drought and had requested Rs 2,400 crore to deal with it, but the Centre has released only Rs 900 crore.
On the other hand the central government's assistance to NDA-ruled Maharashtra stood at Rs 4,714.28 crore, he claimed.
He said mandatory payments of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore is still pending, and hit out at the Modi government for claiming credit for establishing an IIT in Dharwad, without acknowledging the state government's contribution for allotting a 500-acre prime land.
Ahead of the BJP rally, the PM is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Dharwad) on Sunday.
Alleging that the Karnataka Chief Minister was not officially invited to the event, Rao termed it an 'insult' to the state.
He also targeted the PM on Rafale deal and alleged "sidelining" of Bengaluru-headquartered HAL.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
