Decision to stay away from Davos summit deliberate: Karnataka Minister

Bengaluru, Jan 24 After facing criticism over Karnataka's non-participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Siddaramaiah government has said the decision to stay away from the event was deliberate.

Addressing the media at his residence in Bengaluru on Friday, state Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil stated, “The state has deliberately chosen not to participate in the Davos Summit this time. Attending the summit, signing agreements there, and then inviting the same companies here to sign identical agreements creates unnecessary confusion. To avoid this, we have stayed away from the Davos Summit this year."

"Global companies will participate in the Global Investors Meet to be held in Bengaluru from February 11 to 14. This is expected to bring investments worth Rs 8 to Rs 10 lakh crore to the state," he expressed with confidence.

“Among the agreements that we will make, at least three-fourths must translate into actual investments. Otherwise, it will all be in vain. Therefore, we are taking a realistic approach. Even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has conveyed the same,” he stated.

"In 2022, the BJP government also held an investors' meet, claiming Rs 50 lakh crore worth of investments would come. It also said Rs 2.40 lakh crore would be invested in the green energy sector. However, not a single rupee materialized," he pointed out.

“We lack the capacity to sustain such large investments in the green energy sector. Despite this, the BJP government made taller claims. Such mistakes will not happen this time,” Patil clarified.

Karnataka BJP on Wednesday said infighting in the Congress party has left Karnataka unrepresented at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

Taking objection to the absence of a representative from the state at the international event, the Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka said, “When the Chief Ministers of all major states are in Davos making a strong pitch for investments in their respective states, neither Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah nor any of his cabinet colleagues are interested in representing the state at an important world stage.”

“Thanks to the mysterious power-sharing agreement, Chief Minister Siddaramiah and his entire cabinet, including Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, are engrossed in dirty power politics and one-upmanship, which has completely paralyzed Karnataka's economy and governance,” Ashoka slammed.

“Senior leader Sonia Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge want to be in power in Karnataka at any cost only because they need an ATM to keep the Congress party politically alive, not because it wants to serve the people of Karnataka. That is the root of the mess,” Ashoka charged.

At the Davos 2025 event, India’s ‘Team Bharat’ showcased its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, emphasizing inclusive growth, sustainability, and technological innovation. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and other dignitaries took part in the meet.

Source: IANS