Gautam Adani met Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru, with the meeting described by the CMO as a “courtesy call”.
The meeting came amid Adani Enterprises emerging as the lowest bidder for the proposed Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel project.
The BJP accused Congress of “double standards” over Adani, with leaders questioning Rahul Gandhi’s stance on the meeting.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Sunday met Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru for about an hour, with the Chief Minister’s Office describing the meeting as a “courtesy call”.
Adani had visited the Art of Living and met Shivakumar at his residence in Sadashivanagar while returning to the airport, sources close to the Chief Minister said.
The meeting came amid the proposed Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road project, for which Adani Enterprises has emerged as the lowest bidder. The tender, however, has not yet been officially finalised. It could not be immediately ascertained whether the project was discussed.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said Adani wanted to meet him for the first time since he became Chief Minister and that the meeting was held “out of courtesy”.
BJP Slams Congress
The meeting drew criticism from the BJP, with Leader of Opposition R Ashoka accusing the Congress of having “double standards” towards Adani. He asked whether Rahul Gandhi had given Shivakumar “permission” to meet the industrialist and alleged that the Karnataka government had “laid out a red carpet” for him.
BJP's Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also accused the Congress of “hypocrisy”, saying governments understand that attracting business and investment is essential for creating jobs. Reacting to the meeting, he said Congress leaders “abuse businessmen and businesses”, while Chief Ministers seek investments to generate employment.
Speaking to ANI, Chandrasekhar also targeted Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he preferred meeting “foreign businessmen” and “shady businessmen” over legitimate job creators and business builders.
BJP spokesperson Shaik Baji also criticised the meeting, alleging that the Congress and Left parties oppose industrialists despite public demand for development and employment. He questioned Rahul Gandhi’s position on the meeting and called for Shivakumar’s resignation.
The BJP has been opposing the tunnel road project, with party MP Tejasvi Surya also approaching the Karnataka High Court against it.
What Is The Tunnel Road Project?
The proposed North–South Underground Vehicular Tunnel Project envisages a 17-km twin-tube underground road, with three lanes in each tube, connecting Hebbal with Silk Board Junction, two of Bengaluru’s major traffic bottlenecks.
The project has been divided into two packages. The Hebbal-Seshadri Road stretch is estimated to cost ₹8,770 crore, while the Seshadri Road-Silk Board stretch is pegged at ₹8,928 crore. Several entry and exit ramps are also proposed along the route.
According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the tunnel is expected to halve travel time between Hebbal and Vidhana Soudha from the current roughly 30 minutes. The project is slated for completion in 50 months.
The tunnel is aimed at easing congestion in Bengaluru’s core areas, improving connectivity and urban mobility, and freeing up surface space. The DPR also projects reduced pollution and more sustainable urban development as key benefits of the project.
