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K’taka clears ₹600 cr for minority areas; BJP alleges ‘appeasement’
The Karnataka cabinet approved a ₹600 crore action plan for development of minority colonies along with support for major infrastructure projects, including high-speed rail and a Bengaluru suburban project. The opposition BJP accused the government of appeasement and politicization, while internal party tensions and a Davanagere South bypoll loomed in the background.
Why It Matters
The decisions tie minority development schemes to large-scale infrastructure plans, set against political contest and party tensions ahead of bypolls.
Timeline
3 Events
KPCC Minority Department head resigns; bypoll tensions linked to Davanagere South; DK Shivakumar accepts resignation and dissolves Minority Cell committee
May 1, 2026
K Abdul Jabbar, who headed the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s Minority Department, resigned after disagreements over candidate selection and campaign management. Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar accepted his resignation and dissolved the Minority Cell committee. The resignation occurred amid tensions related to the Davanagere South bypoll.
Opposition leader accuses government of appeasement and minority politics
May 1, 2026
Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashok, criticized the government, alleging it was doling out ₹600 crore to secure votes and describing the move as appeasement of a single minority community. He framed the decision in the context of broader governance concerns and questioned the state’s priorities.
Karnataka cabinet approves ₹600 crore action plan for minority colonies and approves major infrastructure projects
April 30, 2026
In a cabinet meeting on April 30, 2026, the Karnataka government announced a ₹600 crore action plan for development of minority colonies along with other welfare schemes. The cabinet gave in-principle support for the Hyderabad–Bengaluru High-Speed Rail corridor and approved a Greater Bengaluru Integrated Suburban Project at Bidadi, estimated at around ₹18,133 crore. The project will cover about 7,481 acres across nine villages in Bengaluru South district and Ramanagara taluk.