BENGALURU: Intensifying the political battle over the proposed second international airport for Bengaluru, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijeyendra has written a detailed open letter to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, urging the government to abandon what he termed an “inappropriate and regionally biased” proposal to locate the project in Kanakapura. Instead, he argued that the airport should be set up in Tumakuru to ensure balanced regional development across Karnataka.
In the letter, Vijeyendra accused the state government of adopting a narrow, constituency-centric approach to one of Karnataka’s biggest infrastructure projects. He maintained that while the construction of a second international airport is necessary to meet Bengaluru’s future aviation needs, its location should be determined on the basis of long-term public interest rather than political considerations.
Karnataka’s second international airport cannot be reduced to a project for the Chief Minister’s constituency. It must promote balanced regional growth and be decided through transparent, open debate.
My open letter to CM Shri D. K. Shivakumar. pic.twitter.com/naDMvzuOjU
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) July 17, 2026
The BJP leader said Karnataka’s development has remained disproportionately concentrated in Bengaluru for decades, while cities such as Mysuru, Tumakuru, Davanagere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Ballari, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Shivamogga and Haveri are yet to receive infrastructure and investments commensurate with their potential.
According to Vijeyendra, this imbalance has resulted in large-scale migration of people from different regions to Bengaluru for employment, education and investment opportunities, putting enormous pressure on the city’s roads, public transport, water supply, housing and civic infrastructure.
He argued that the proposed airport offers the government a historic opportunity to correct this imbalance rather than further strengthen Bengaluru’s dominance.
Drawing comparisons with previous infrastructure decisions, Vijeyendra said Karnataka should learn from the experience of Electronic City, which was developed close to the Tamil Nadu border. He claimed that a portion of the economic and industrial benefits generated by the project eventually flowed into the neighbouring state rather than remaining entirely within Karnataka.
Similarly, he observed that after Kempegowda International Airport was established at Devanahalli, the economic gains generated by the airport largely remained concentrated around Bengaluru and adjoining areas.
According to him, if the airport had instead been located in the Tumakuru region, it would have accelerated industrialisation in Central and North Karnataka, transformed Tumakuru into a major economic hub and significantly reduced population and traffic pressure on Bengaluru.
Vijeyendra maintained that Tumakuru possesses several strategic advantages, including national highway connectivity, railway infrastructure, an expanding industrial ecosystem, and a location that offers easier access to Central Karnataka, North Karnataka, and the Old Mysuru region.
An international airport in Tumakuru, he said, would attract fresh investments, create employment opportunities and distribute economic development more evenly across Karnataka.
In contrast, he argued that Kanakapura lies on the southern edge of the state and would benefit only a limited geographical area. He also expressed concern over the environmental implications of establishing a large airport near Bannerghatta National Park, reserve forests and fertile agricultural land.
The BJP president further alleged that there is growing public suspicion that major infrastructure decisions in Karnataka are increasingly being influenced by real estate interests rather than broader developmental priorities.
He said every major decision taken by the government must be transparent and reflect the interests of the entire state, rather than benefiting a particular constituency or individuals who stand to gain from rising land values.
Addressing the Chief Minister directly, Vijeyendra reminded him that although Kanakapura is his Assembly constituency, his responsibilities as Chief Minister extend to every district and every citizen of Karnataka.
“A unilateral decision to locate such a major project in your own constituency will not strengthen democratic governance,” he said.
The BJP leader also highlighted differences emerging within the ruling Congress itself. Referring to statements made by senior Congress leader and Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, favouring the Tumakuru Road region for the second airport, Vijeyendra said there was no consensus even within the government.
He urged the Chief Minister to place the proposal before the Karnataka Legislature and hold a comprehensive debate involving elected representatives, technical experts, environmental specialists and affected communities before arriving at a final decision.
He further cautioned that imposing the project without wider consultation could trigger opposition not only from the Opposition parties but also from legislators within the Congress.
In a pointed political warning, Vijeyendra said the second international airport proposal should not be allowed to become “another Bidadi Township controversy,” referring to the ongoing protests by farmers and opposition parties against the proposed township project.
He described the airport decision as one that would shape Karnataka’s economic, industrial and regional development for generations and therefore should not be reduced to a project intended to benefit a single constituency.
Concluding the letter, Vijeyendra appealed to the Chief Minister to evaluate the proposal from the perspective of balanced and inclusive development across Karnataka rather than through the prism of a single region, asserting that the decision must serve the interests of the entire state rather than sectional or political considerations.
