Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's use of chartered flights has come under scrutiny, with reports indicating that over ₹47 crore has been spent on his air travel. The expenses, incurred between March 2023 and January 2025, have triggered controversy, especially in light of financial constraints in other sectors.
Data presented in the Karnataka Legislative Council revealed that Siddaramaiah accounted for nearly ₹32 crore of the ₹34 crore spent on chartered aircraft during the specified period. Official records show that his helicopter expenses reached ₹12.65 crore in 2023-24 and ₹19.35 crore in 2024-25 until January 15, 2025. Further reports indicate that the cost of his travels for the year 2024-25 alone is ₹21.20 crore. Cumulatively, the Chief Minister's air travel expenses for the past two years amount to approximately ₹34 crore. Taking into account previous expenses, the total expenditure crosses ₹47 crore.
One particular instance that drew criticism was the Chief Minister's preference for helicopter travel even to nearby destinations like Mysuru, which is about 150 kilometers from Bengaluru and accessible within 1.5 to 2 hours by road. Each trip from Bengaluru to Mysuru costs the state exchequer between ₹10 lakh and ₹20 lakh. In March of last year, the Chief Minister traveled to Mysuru twice in two days via chartered aircraft, costing over ₹34.5 lakh.
The documents also revealed that the Chief Minister's office booked a charter flight to Delhi for ₹44.40 lakh, while a business-class round-trip ticket on a commercial airline would have cost approximately ₹70,000.
The opposition BJP has reacted sharply to these revelations, accusing the Congress government of prioritizing the Chief Minister's travel while development, farmer welfare, and infrastructure projects face financial difficulties. BJP leaders have criticized the expenditure, with Amit Malviya, in charge of BJP’s National Information & Technology Dept, questioning the allocation of funds for private jets when other sectors are struggling. R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, alleged that the Congress party had become an expert in utilizing public funds for personal benefit.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a BJP leader, criticized Siddaramaiah's travel expenses, claiming that the state's financial priorities were misplaced. He said that there is "No money for development, No money for farmers, No money for infra, but plenty of money for CM's private jets and plenty of land to be grabbed".
Defending the Chief Minister, Karnataka's Minister for Transport, Ramalinga Reddy, argued the necessity of the travels. However, the high costs have prompted a wider debate about austerity and the justification of luxury travel for political figures, particularly when public services and welfare programs face budget constraints.
