Protocol Ignored, Says Siddaramaiah On Bridge Inauguration 'Snub', BJP Shares Gadkari Invite

Last Updated:July 14, 2025, 13:51 IST

The chief minister also revealed that he had asked Gadkari to push the programme to a later date, as he was not 'intimated' in advance

Siddaramaiah said the incident was an attempt to deliberately create a rift between the central and Union governments. (PTI)

The Congress and BJP are at loggerheads once again, this time over the inauguration of a bridge in Karnataka, after chief minister Siddaramaiah called out the Union government for keeping state representatives away from the ceremony.

Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Kalasavalli-Ambargondlu or the Sigandur bridge in Karnataka’s Shivamogga on Monday even as the chief minister and other Congress leaders skipped the ceremony. The bridge, built at a cost of Rs 473 crore, is India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge.

An irate Siddaramaiah, while speaking to reporters, said: “They should invite us right? Who created this Centre-state tussle? They created it … they should follow protocols. It’s happening in our state."

He also revealed that he had asked Gadkari to push the programme to a later date as he was not “intimated" in advance.

In a letter to the Union minister, Siddaramaiah cited his scheduled visit to Indi taluk in Vijayapura district to say MoRTH should have consulted with the state government before scheduling the programme.

“It has come to my notice that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways along with Highway Authority of India is organising “Dedication to Nation and Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony" Programme on 14th of July, 2025 in Nehru Field, Sagara Taluk, Shivamogga District, and my name has also been printed in the draft invitation card. However, I have not been intimated about this programme in advance," Siddaramaiah wrote.

Giving details of his itinerary, the chief minister further said: “Therefore, I request you to instruct the department to coordinate with the state government while organising such programmes. Also, I request you to postpone this programme and provide me with a couple of dates convenient to you, so that I would be able to join you in this significant state-level programme."

The letter, however, seemed to have no impact as the bridge was inaugurated on Monday in the absence of the chief minister and other leaders.

“I had called Nitin Gadkari and asked him to postpone the programme. He said he would postpone it. But now, bowing to pressure from local BJP leaders, they are going ahead with the event. I have not received any invitation. We always extend cooperation to railway projects — they invite us for those. But here, protocol has been violated. As a mark of protest, none of us is participating in the programme. Congress MLAs from the region, the district minister, and the minister for public works are all staying away. They are deliberately creating a rift between the central and state governments," Siddaramaiah said.

The BJP, meanwhile, sought to clear the air on the controversy and released a copy of a letter signed by Gadkari that invited the chief minister to the inauguration ceremony. Dated July 12—just two days before the inauguration—the letter said Siddaramaiah was free to join via a video link if he could not make it to the ceremony.

Shimoga, India, India

News politics Protocol Ignored, Says Siddaramaiah On Bridge Inauguration 'Snub', BJP Shares Gadkari Invite