Bhatkal: BJP hits back at Mankal Vaidya, says claim on no new buses during BJP rule is false

Bhatkal Jan,25: (Bhatkallys News Bureau) BJP leader Anantamurthy Hegde has alleged that Minister Mankal Vaidya’s statement that no new buses were added to the district during the BJP government’s tenure is factually incorrect.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Bhatkal on Saturday evening, Hegde released official documents obtained from the KSRTC to support his claim. He said the minister’s statement, made during the preparatory meeting of the Sirsi Marikamba Jatre, was misleading.

“The minister claimed that not a single new bus was added in the last seven years. However, KSRTC records clearly show that between 2018–19 and 2022–23, during the BJP government’s tenure, a total of 87 new buses were sanctioned to the Sirsi division. Of these, 28 buses were allotted to the Sirsi depot alone,” Hegde said.

He criticised the minister for making what he called false statements on a religious platform, stating that mixing politics with such events was inappropriate. Hegde demanded that the minister apologise before Goddess Marikamba for making an incorrect claim.

Hegde further alleged that the statement was driven by frustration following the electoral defeat in the Manki polls. He said it was wrong to target the BJP even at religious gatherings.

Raising other issues, Hegde accused the minister of adopting a double standard on the Bedti–Varada river-linking project, claiming that different statements were being made before religious leaders and the general public. He also questioned the status of the proposed multi-specialty hospital for Kumta and Bhatkal, asking whether the focus had shifted away from a government hospital to a project linked to the minister personally.

He alleged that the budget for hospital equipment in Sirsi, earlier approved at Rs 142 crore with Rs 30 crore released, had now been reduced to Rs 5 crore. Hegde also sought clarity on the Rs 850 crore project announced for removing plastic waste from the sea, asking how much plastic had actually been collected so far.

BJP leaders Ramesh Naik Kuppalli, Ganesh Hegde Yellapur, Manjunath Naik Mariguddi, Raghavendra Naik and Srinivas Naik were present at the press conference.