Rahul, Kharge skip Invest K'taka Summit over 'prominence to BJP leaders'?

The Karnataka global investors' meet, scheduled from February 12 to 14 in Bengaluru, is themed "Reimagining Growth" and aims to showcase Karnataka as a key destination for global investment

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi are expected to skip the 'Invest Karnataka 2025' summit in Bengaluru, despite being invited as key guests.  

 

According to sources cited by PTI, the Congress leadership is displeased over the prominence given to Union ministers and BJP leaders at the event, which is being organised by the Congress-led Karnataka government. The placement of Kharge and Gandhi's names below those of some Union ministers on the official invitation has further aggravated the party’s top brass.  

 

Party leaders have reportedly expressed their dissatisfaction to the state government over the handling of the event. The global investors' meet, scheduled from February 12 to 14 in Bengaluru, is themed "Reimagining Growth" and aims to showcase Karnataka as a key destination for global investment. The event is expected to draw leading industrialists and international investors, with projected investment commitments of Rs 10 trillion. Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries, MB Patil, has said that the government aims to actualise at least 70 per cent of these commitments.  

 

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to inaugurate the summit on February 12, alongside Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will preside over the opening session. Rahul Gandhi, in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was scheduled to launch the revamped Single Window System, and the state's new "Industrial Policy 2025-30" was to be unveiled at the event. Meanwhile, Kharge, as Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, was expected to attend the closing ceremony.  

 

Several Union Ministers, including Pralhad Joshi, HD Kumaraswamy, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shobha Karandlaje, and V Somanna, have confirmed their participation.