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‘Drama Masters’: Ramalinga Reddy Fires at Tejasvi Surya Over Metro Fare Agitation

The Bengaluru Live February 9, 2026 4:52 PM 2 minutes read

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Bengaluru: The political battle over the Bengaluru Metro fare hike intensified on Monday, with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy launching a sharp attack on Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, dismissing his protest as “political drama”.

While the proposed Metro fare revision has been temporarily put on hold, Tejasvi Surya staged a symbolic protest at RV Road Metro Station, displaying an “empty trunk” to allege that the state government’s financial mismanagement had forced the fare hike. He claimed the Karnataka government had pressured the Fare Fixation Committee due to an “empty treasury”.

Also Read: No Fare Hike from Feb 9: BMRCL Puts Revision on Hold

Responding to the allegations, Ramalinga Reddy rejected the claims outright, stating that the fare revision process was governed by a committee constituted under central government norms. He clarified that the Fare Fixation Committee includes representatives nominated by the Centre, and that the final decision rests with authorities operating under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

“The BJP thrives on falsehoods,” Reddy said, accusing the party of spreading misinformation for political mileage. “If they don’t lie, they can’t sleep or digest their food,” he remarked, escalating the war of words.

Reddy further mocked the protest, calling it theatrics rather than serious politics. “Instead of indulging in drama against the state government, they might as well join a drama company,” he said.

The exchange comes amid heightened political tension in Karnataka over public transport affordability, with both sides trading blame over the Metro fare issue even as commuters await a final decision.