The BJP will hold protests across Karnataka over the state government’s decision to raise bus fares and increase the prices of Nandini milk and curd, turning public transport finances and household costs into a fresh political flashpoint. The demonstrations are scheduled for Thursday and will target the Congress government led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra accused the government of placing the burden of financial mismanagement on residents. He described the policies as “inhuman” and said the administration had first increased milk prices and was now making daily commuting more expensive through higher bus fares.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka alleged that the state government owed Rs 5,650.9 crore to Karnataka’s four transport corporations. According to the figures cited by him, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation was owed Rs 2,943 crore, the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Rs 1,306 crore, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation Rs 1,019 crore and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Rs 999 crore.
Ashoka claimed that the outstanding reimbursements had contributed to the financial stress faced by the corporations and that the fare increase could have been avoided if the dues had been cleared. He said fares had risen by up to 40%, citing higher ticket prices on BMTC and intercity routes. He also claimed that the corporations’ combined liabilities stood at Rs 7,130.8 crore as of May 2026 and that the financial pressure was affecting their ability to procure spare parts.
The dispute is centred on how Karnataka funds public transport obligations while maintaining services for millions of passengers. The BJP has linked the corporations’ financial condition to the government’s guarantee schemes, alleging that delayed reimbursements have shifted the cost of welfare commitments onto transport agencies and commuters. The claims were made by BJP leaders and were not independently detailed in the supplied report through audited statements or government documents.
Ashoka also criticised the recent increase in Nandini milk and curd prices, estimating that it would add around Rs 390 to a family’s monthly expenditure. He demanded a white paper on the state’s financial position and questioned the government’s spending on its guarantee schemes.
Union minister Pralhad Joshi separately accused the state government of pushing the transport corporations towards bankruptcy while increasing the financial burden on ordinary commuters. He said the government had initially promised free travel but was now raising fares, with a particular impact on workers and economically weaker sections.
The state government’s position, as quoted in the report, is that it would be prepared to reduce bus fares if the Centre lowered petrol and diesel prices. The BJP’s statewide protests will now place the fare decision, transport corporation finances and the government’s reimbursement obligations at the centre of public and political scrutiny.
