BENGALURU: Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday defended demands by Congress legislators seeking VIP tickets for Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, saying they were entitled to them as members of the government. Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he would take up the matter with the authorities. “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,” he said. The remarks follow calls from Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, who suggested that each legislator should receive at least five IPL tickets, arguing that elected representatives are “VIPs” who should not have to wait in line. Another Congress leader, Shivashankarappa, also criticised the alleged lack of access to tickets. “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,” he said. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced that the first phase of Indian Premier League 2026 will be held from 28 March to 12 April. Separately, Shivakumar also spoke about his recent visit to Assam ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for 9 April. He expressed confidence that the Congress would form the next government in the state. “I am very confident that there will be a change in Assam and a Congress government will come to power,” he said, calling the current BJP-led administration the “most corrupt” in the state’s history. He also took aim at the BJP over recent bypoll claims, saying, “They could not retain the CM’s son’s seat.”
