₹25,000 IPL seats too costly? Karnataka MLAs want them free

Karnataka MLAs are turning heads for reasons beyond politics, they want free IPL tickets . Lawmakers across party lines have complained about insufficient VIP seating at Chinnaswamy Stadium , prompting Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to promise he will speak with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials to “accommodate” legislators during matches.

The issue came up in the Assembly after Speaker U T Khader directed the government to ensure that every MLA receives four VIP tickets . Some members had claimed they were given just one ticket or faced poor seating arrangements , while others even asked for a separate lounge at the stadium.

Shivakumar defended the move, saying, “MLAs have a right because they are part of the system. Earlier also, respect was given. With a lot of difficulty and pressure, we have permitted them.”

Yet critics were quick to highlight the irony. VIP tickets at Chinnaswamy are priced at around ₹25,000 each , an amount most citizens, including MLAs, can easily pay. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya took a swipe at the legislators, saying, “Instead of discussing IPL fans safety and security in the Assembly, we saw MLAs pleading and even threatening for free tickets for themselves and their families. This is a VIP mindset that sees public office as entitlement, not responsibility.”

Shivakumar, however, brushed off the criticism, saying, “Let Mr Tejasvi Surya give his gyan [advice] to his party members, not me.”

The episode casts a spotlight on the entitlement debate in Karnataka politics, with lawmakers seeking perks while ordinary fans line up to buy tickets. The first marquee clash of IPL 2026 , Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad , is scheduled for March 28.