Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 27 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday defended the demand by Congress MLAs for VIP tickets to IPL matches, saying they were entitled to them as they were part of the government.
He said that he would speak to the chairman to ensure Congress MLAs are provided with the IPL tickets.
Speaking to the reporters here, Shivakumar said, "The MLAs have the right because they are part of the government. I will speak to the chairman to see that our MLAs are accommodated. Let Tejasvi Surya give gyaan to his party members."
His remarks came after Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar suggested that every MLA should receive at least five IPL tickets, claiming that elected representatives are "VIPs" who shouldn't have to wait in line.
Speaking to mediapersons, Shivashankarappa expressed his frustration and said, "There is an IPL match going to start on the 28th of this month. Karnataka State Cricket Association has not provided the tickets for the MLAs, ministers, and their families. They are taking all the facilities from the government. But they are not respecting the MLAs. They are not issuing the tickets. They are selling it in black. One ticket, which costs 5,000 rupees, we are buying it for 35,000 rupees."
Further, speaking about his visit to Assam ahead of assembly elections, Shivakumar expressed strong confidence that the Congress would come to power in the state, calling the current BJP-led government the "most corrupt" in Assam's history.
Assam will go to the polls in a single phase on April 9 for its 126-member Assembly.
"I am very confident that there will be a change in Assam and a Congress government will come to power," he said.
"They could not retain the CM's son's seat," he said, on the BJP claiming to win Davangere and Bagalkote bypolls.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the first phase of the IPL 2026, to be played from March 28 to April 12.