Now, D.K. Suresh opposes free IPL passes to legislators

D.K. Suresh, Congress leader and former MP, strongly opposed legislators’ demand for free IPL tickets to watch matches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Deputy Chief Minister and Mr. Suresh’s brother D.K. Shivakumar, who has been in discussions with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials, had defended the demand for tickets from MLAs cutting across party lines, stating, “There is nothing wrong in legislators asking for free IPL passes.” Following the demand from legislators from across parties, KSCA has decided to provide two tickets each to MLAs

Mr. Suresh told reporters on Monday, “It is wrong to ask for free tickets. Those who want to watch the match should pay for it themselves. That is the right approach.”

Recalling the past

Responding to the demand for complimentary IPL tickets for MLAs, he said, “Whoever is making such demands is committing a mistake. Let them recall how strongly they reacted and what they said when Royal Challengers Bengaluru took out a victory procession in the city last year.”

Noting that the KSCA has been issuing tickets for years, Mr. Suresh said some legislators were unnecessarily politicising the issue and bringing disrepute to the government. “BJP MLAs have also received IPL tickets. The IPL is not a national tournament; it is a commercial event. It is not appropriate for people’s representatives to give undue importance to such matters,” he added.

Several BJP leaders, including S. Suresh Kumar, B.Y. Vijayendra and Tejasvi Surya, have also criticised the demand for free IPL passes. During a debate in the Legislative Assembly last week, Speaker U.T. Khader had suggested that the government consider providing four tickets to each legislator, following the demand by BJP leader and Leader of Opposition R. Ashok, among others.

Sports facilities in city

Mr. Suresh further said the government has already cleared a proposal to develop a stadium at Suryanagar in the city. Emphasising the need for better sports infrastructure, he added that the city requires four stadiums in different directions. Plans are also under way to construct a stadium on 40 acres at Shivarama Karanth Layout, he said.