Bidadi township: Magadi MLA Balakrishna accuses HDK of selective opposition using farmers for politics

Magadi MLA and Congress leader HC Balakrishna on Tuesday slammed Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, accusing them of selectively opposing the proposed Bidadi Township Project while remaining silent on similar land acquisitions across the state.

Speaking to presspersons in Bengaluru, Mr. Balakrishna asked why Mr. Kumaraswamy protested only in Bidadi even though land acquisitions for various projects were being done in places like Sarjapur, Chickballapur, Hosakote and Doddaballapur. He also pointed to the acquisition of 1,800 acres in Hassan (Mr Kumaraswamy’s hometown) for the proposed IIT campus even before receiving final approval from the Centre.

He expressed reservations about Mr. Kumaraswamy’s demand to hold a discussion on the project in Bidadi or Bairamangale, saying it could lead to fights between JD(S) and Congress workers as such a meeting could attract large crowds from both sides, raising law and order concerns.

The MLA further alleged that the farmers’ agitation has now acquired a political dimension and accused the JD(S) leadership of mobilizing supporters from Manda, Mysuru and other regions to strengthen the protest. He alleged that the movement was being used to politically target Mr. Shivakumar rather than address farmers’ concerns.

However, protesting farmers in Bidadi accused Mr. Balakrishna of not visiting any of the villages under the project in the last one year despite being the local MLA.

Published – 24 Jun 2026 03:54 IST