IPL 2026: Fans Slam VIP Culture, Fume Over 'Free Tickets' For Mlas For RCB Vs SRH Clash - 'Rules Are Only For....'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The highly awaited IPL 2026 is set to kick start today amid controversy over Indian Premier League 2026 season opener free tickets for MLAs. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru amid much displeasure among fans who called out 'VIP culture'.

Social media strongly reacted after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that two free tickets, instead of 4, will be provided to MLAs, so that the family members of legislators attend IPL 2026 first match.

Social media reaction

A user wrote,“Karnataka politicians (MLAs/MPs) asking for around ~1000 overall free IPL tickets for their families... and all this openly on camera. Meanwhile, common fans struggle in queues and websites just to get one ticket. Can't they stand in line like everyone else? Or rules are only for the public and not for VIPs? What a joke this VIP culture has become. 😹”

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Another user remarked,“Chinnaswamy Stadium is absolutely chaotic in every aspect an IPL ticket is next to impossible in this stadium unlike all other IPL venues. It was easily available online and at the counters in the initial days but now there seems to be a major scam and fans never get tickets in the normal process but available at a huge mark up in black of seeking free tickets, peoples representatives should ensure streamlining of the ticketing process for general public.”

A third comment read,“These new founds feudal mentality should be fully exposed before the People who voted them to these Posts on the promise of service. This reminds of an Arab and the Camel.”

A fourth user said,“They will even get free tickets for their families at tax payer's expense. Common people in Karnataka are busy quarrelling over Language. So pityful. In India we give all the privileges to privileged and leave the downtrodden with lifelong struggles and contempt.”

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RPG Group Chairperson Harsh Goenka slammed Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state,“We can't stand in queues like the general public,” say our elected representatives. Yet it is that very public that stands in line to vote them into power, pays for the system they enjoy, and is now being told that equality ends where privilege begins.

Criticising the Karnataka government, former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi called the demand 'completely nonsense' and said,“This is absolutely complete nonsense. Why should they be privileged. It's the fan who made the @IPL not the elected representatives. Yet they want it as their birth right. In as Asian country recently a minister was sacked for taking two free tickets from the promoter for an important sporting event. He had not declared that he had taken that as a gift.”

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BJP's Tejasvi Surya blasted at Congress leaders alleging that they had forced Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Venkatesh Prasad to give in to their demands. Blaming feudal entitlement mindset, he said,“Why should KSCA or any other sports body mandatorily provide free tickets for MLAs or any political representatives and their families? This does not make sense... This culture of VIP and entitlement must stop,” ANI reported.

On 26 March, Speaker UT Khader had directed the government to provide every MLA with four VIP IPL 2026 tickets after several MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka from the BJP, complained that they were given just one ticket and not provided proper seating facilities during matches.

After stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium following RCB's IPL win last year, preparations are in full swing in Bengaluru to host IPL opener.

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