Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra has accused the Congress government of spending Rs 473 crore on advertisements over the past three years while Bengaluru’s roads, public services and development works face funding and implementation concerns. The allegation was made in a post on X on Tuesday and was reported by Deccan Chronicle, which attributed the figures to media reports cited by Vijayendra.
Vijayendra alleged that the government was spending more than Rs 43 lakh a day on publicity instead of addressing deteriorating roads, unemployment, farmers’ distress and pending payments to contractors. He described the alleged expenditure as evidence of a mismatch between government communication and delivery on the ground.
“Development zero, publicity hero,” Vijayendra said, alleging that the Congress government had spent the money on projecting its image rather than building roads, creating jobs or supporting farmers. The BJP leader also referred to rising milk prices, bus fares, electricity charges and the cost of essential services while criticising the government’s broader record.
The dispute has a direct urban dimension because road maintenance and contractor payments affect the delivery of everyday municipal and public works. Bengaluru’s roads are among the issues cited by Vijayendra, who also alleged that contractors were waiting for legitimate dues. The report does not provide a government response to the accusations or independently establish the amount allegedly spent on advertisements.
Vijayendra also questioned the implementation of the Congress government’s five guarantee schemes, alleging that they were facing financial and operational challenges. He claimed that the government cited financial constraints for development works but did not face similar constraints when spending on publicity. The supplied report contains no official financial statement or audit document detailing the alleged advertising expenditure.
The BJP state president said residents were seeking better roads, affordable living costs, employment opportunities, timely contractor payments and support for farmers rather than newspaper advertisements featuring the Chief Minister. He argued that public authorities should be judged by the quality of life they deliver and not by the volume of publicity they release.
The allegations place government communication spending alongside larger questions about how Karnataka balances welfare commitments, infrastructure maintenance and public information campaigns. Any assessment of the Rs 473 crore figure would require the underlying expenditure records and a response from the state government. The supplied report records the BJP’s allegations but does not indicate whether the government has accepted, disputed or formally responded to them.
