Bengaluru, 23 August

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met Asia’s richest person Gautam Adani in Bengaluru on Sunday. Although the Chief Minister’s Office described the meeting as a “courtesy visit”, the meeting takes place in the backdrop of the Congress government in the State pushing for the proposed tunnel road project despite stiff opposition. 

Adani had visited the Art of Living and met Shivakumar at the CM's residence in Sadashivanagar while returning to the airport. Adani Enterprises has emerged as the lowest bidder for the tenders that have been floated for the tunnel road from Hebbal to Silk Board. The exact amount is yet to be disclosed, but several media reports put Adani’s bid at around Rs 22,267 crore, against the government’s estimated cost of around Rs 17,698 crore. 

Salar could not immediately verify if they discussed the tunnel road project. 

The meeting also holds political significance as the Congress High Command, which also includes Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, has been vehemently targeting Adani. 

Adani's visit came days after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) dropped criminal fraud and bribery charges against him, his nephew Sagar Adani, Executive Director, Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), and others. Rahul had frequently targeted the BJP government at the Centre over the case.

But Shivakumar later defended the meeting, telling reporter that “After I became the Chief Minister, this is the first time he (Adani) has come here to meet me. They are giving a lot of jobs here. He came just as a courtesy; he met me and left”.

Yet, the BJP’s State unit lashed out at the Congress. 

"Congress opposes Adani in Delhi while in Karnataka it is in his favour. Isn't this a double standard?" R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, said. He said the Karnataka government had "laid out a red carpet" for Adani.

Ashoka also took a swipe at Rahul, asking over the latter’s environmental activism. He said the Congress leader should come to Bengaluru and hug a tree at Lalbagh or Sankey Tank, which will be affected by the proposed tunnel road.