Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 21 : Industrialist and Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Tuesday met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and extended Deepavali greetings.
Earlier in the day, she also visited Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at his residence in Bengaluru. These visits came after the Mazumdar's recent highlighting of the "poor" infrastructure in Bengaluru.
"Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw met Chief Minister @siddaramaiah and extended Deepavali festival greetings. Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti was present on this occasion," the Karnataka Chief Minister's Office posted on X.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw also met Karnataka Minister MB Patil at his residence in Bengaluru.
"She came to invite me to her nephew's wedding on the 9th of November. When the work is going on, at that time such comments are not necessary... If we weren't doing the work, then it would have been a different matter, but since we are doing the work, then the matter ends there," Patil told ANI after her visit.
"She discussed a lot of things with me and was proud of us, and we are very proud of her too... We look forward to her support," he added.
During the meeting, Mazumdar-Shaw and Shivakumar discussed about Bengaluru's growth, innovation, and the path ahead for Karnataka's growth story.
In a post on X, DK Shivakumar wrote, "It was a pleasure to meet Ms. @kiranshaw, entrepreneur and Founder of Biocon, at my residence today. We had an engaging discussion on Bengaluru's growth, innovation, and the path ahead for Karnataka's growth story."
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has earlier expressed frustration over Bengaluru's infrastructure woes, citing poor road conditions and garbage management issues on several occasions. She emphasised the need for timely garbage clearance and road resurfacing, holding government ministers accountable for the city's state.
In a post on X, Shaw wrote, "I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said, 'Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn't the Govt want to support investment? I have just come from China and can't understand why India can't get its act together especially when the winds are favourable?"
In response to criticism, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a jibe at Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw over the latter's criticism of road infrastructure in Bengaluru, saying that she could develop the same if she wants.
"If she wants to develop them (roads), let her do it. If she comes and asks, we will give her the roads," Shivakumar said while conducting the "Bengaluru Nadige (Walk for Bengaluru)" program in the KR Puram area.