While the US Consulate in Bengaluru is finally set for its inauguration on Friday, political circles are abuzz with talk about who deserves credit for the long-delayed effort.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday and gave him Mysore Pak sweets. He expressed gratitude to the central government for facilitating the consulate in Bengaluru and later said on X, “It’s been made possible only and only because of PM Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s efforts.”

He said Bengaluru having a US Consulate will benefit lakhs of students from the city. “The city is the country’s IT capital and home to many multinational companies. The Consulate will boost commerce and trade between the two countries and smoothen travel for businessmen and entrepreneurs.”

‘Don’t mislead’

On Thursday, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge slammed BJP MPs for “misleading” citizens. He sought to draw attention to the fact that services will be limited in the initial phase. “BJP MPs should stop misleading people. While the Consulate will be opened soon, it will be only to service Americans and businesses. It will take a while before they start processing visas from here,” Mr. Kharge said.

He further chastised the BJP for claiming credit and said, “The decision to establish consulates is made by the respective governments based on the economic significance of a city, not on the whims or personal preferences of BJP MPs or the External Affairs Minister.” He argued that Bengaluru was always “the natural choice for a US consulate, given its thriving ecosystem for investments and trade that mutually benefits the US and India.”

HDK pipes in

Later in the day, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also sought to take credit for the US consulate being established in India and said on X, “As Chief Minister in 2018, I met then-US Ambassador Kenneth Juster to strongly advocate for Bengaluru’s rightful claim for a US Consulate.” He posted pictures of his meeting with Mr. Juster.