The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly giving more importance to welcoming Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi than German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to the state. While the German Chancellor and his delegation visited Bengaluru and were bid farewell by Minister M.B. Patil, the BJP accused the state leaders of not extending due respect to the foreign dignitary.
According to BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, the Congress party’s actions reflect a prioritization of power and family over the interests of the state and its people. Poonawalla highlighted the missed opportunity to engage with Germany, a significant investor in Karnataka, due to the focus on Rahul Gandhi’s reception over the German Chancellor.
Additionally, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo criticized the Congress leadership for allegedly maintaining a dynastic approach and failing to give proper attention to the visit of the German Chancellor. Shah Deo emphasized the importance of leveraging Bengaluru’s global standing as an IT hub for discussions on German investments, which he believes was overlooked during the visit.
