Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid for the metro ticket of Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday during the inauguration of Bengaluru’s new Pink Line.
The moment occurred after the Chief Minister joked that he was traveling without cash.
The encounter took place as the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Shivakumar, and Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav boarded the train for the inaugural ride. Shivakumar recounted the event on Saturday, noting that when he mentioned he lacked money, the Prime Minister swiped his own card to cover the fare for both of them.
VIDEO | Bengaluru: "As I didn't have money, asked PM Modi to take ticket for me also, he swiped his card," said Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar while travelling in newly launched Bengaluru's Pink Line Metro. (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/3UtXGRhqZE
The Chief Minister later conducted a separate metro ride from Kalena Agrahara to SG Palya. During that journey, he engaged with commuters to gather feedback on the new corridor and spoke with the train operator, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited.
Did You Know? Karnataka is the country’s second-highest taxpayer and second-highest contributor to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The state also produces approximately 1.5 lakh engineers and 13,940 doctors annually.
The interaction comes as the state and central governments disagree on how to finance the city’s metro expansion. Despite these tensions, Shivakumar emphasized that political friction should not hinder the delivery of public infrastructure.
“We all have to work together in the interest of the nation. Politics should be restricted to fighting elections. Let us do politics when it comes to politics. Shouldn’t there be a difference between development and politics? He (Modi) wants development to happen,” said Shivakumar. He described his relationship with the Prime Minister as rooted in personal regard and mutual respect.
The Chief Minister maintained that the state’s growth is essential to the nation, stating, “Therefore, only when Karnataka grows, India grows.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled on the Pink Line with Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya.
The state government and the central government are currently at odds over the financing of the expansion of the Bengaluru metro system.
Shivakumar said that he is not someone who holds himself back and prefers to take the initiative to express his views. He also said that he treats political figures from across the spectrum with personal regard and respect.