Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Faces BJP Criticism Over Rs 47 Crore Air Travel Expenses

BJP challenged Siddaramaiah's 'socialist' credentials.

BJP leader CT Ravi criticized Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after government records revealed the state spent over Rs 47 crore on his helicopter and chartered aircraft travel between May 2023 and November 2025. Questioning Siddaramaiah's 'socialist' image, Ravi claimed the Chief Minister has transformed from "Samajwadi" to "Majawadi" (suggesting indulgence in luxury).

"From 'Samajwadi', Siddaramaiah is now 'Majawadi'. He avoids roads because of their poor conditions. The people of Karnataka are funding his air travel," Ravi remarked.

In defense, Siddaramaiah's economic advisor and Congress MLA Basavaraj Raya Reddy stated the Chief Minister is using air travel solely for official purposes.

"At 79 years old, he's only utilizing aircraft for official tours. What's problematic about this? The amount is insignificant compared to the thousands of crores spent by the Prime Minister," Reddy explained.

The expenses were disclosed in response to a question from BJP MLC N. Ravi Kumar. According to the data, the Karnataka government allocated Rs 12.23 crore for the Chief Minister's chartered flights during the 2023-24 fiscal year. Records show frequent journeys between Bengaluru's HAL Airport and various districts including Mysuru, Hubballi, Belagavi and Kalaburagi.

For 2024-25, charter expenses increased to Rs 21.11 crore. Detailed records revealed extensive multi-sector tours, particularly in early 2024, including helicopter travel to Udupi, Chitradurga, Haveri, Bidar and Kalaburagi, along with fixed-wing flights to Chennai, Hyderabad and other major cities.

A separate document covering October 2025 to November 2025 showed an additional Rs 14.03 crore spent on chartered services, with numerous entries designated as 'CM and others Aircraft sector'.