Poll guarantees in K’taka can be template for Cong in other states’

Press Trust of India

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar says the Congress’ poll promise of five guarantees was a “very tough call” and feels it can be a template for the party in other states depending upon their respective financial strength. “Governments help big businesses by waiving off loans of crores of rupees, but how to help the common man? So we decided on guarantees,” Shivakumar told PTI in an interview here over the weekend.

He further said economic issues, unemployment and poverty are the core matters, not the ideological ones, as “they don’t fill the stomach.” Shivakumar, 61, also claimed that the BJP and the JD(S) are joining hands in Karnataka for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, even as he expressed confidence about the Congress getting good numbers after its stunning performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections, ousting the saffron party from its lone southern citadel.

On the poll guarantees, he said the respective state units of the party will have to take the call. To a question on whether poll guarantees can be the template for the Congress in other states where Assembly elections are due in the next one year since it seems to have been a key factor for its landslide victory in Kar nataka, Shivakumar said it depends on the financial strength of the state concerned.

“It all depends upon their financial strength. Karnataka has financial strength. Why we gave these guarantees is because of the price rise. Prices have gone high while income has gone to the bottom, so in order to compensate for the price rise, we thought the government should help the people. We know that it is a very tough call we have taken,” said Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC chief, referring to the poll agenda to roll out citizen-centric promises.

The Karnataka Cabinet on June 2 decided to implement the Congress’ five poll guarantees without any discrimination on the basis of caste or religion and has fixed a timeline to operationalise the schemes within this financial year.

Recalling his statement calling the poll guarantees to provide subsidy benefits to people as “the first big political decision in the history of Indian politics”, Shivakumar said, “I’m right, it touches more than Rs 50,000 crore. In one day, in one cabinet meeting we have cleared it all to help the common man... We have literally walked the talk.”

The five guarantees are -- 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of free rice to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, both in the age group of 18-25 (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).

To a question on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shivakumar said his party will make “alternative plans” to counter the BJP and JD(S)’ poll strategy in Karnataka. The Congress has set a target of winning at least 20 out of the total of 28 parliamentary seats in the state.

“Don’t know about the national level. As far as Karnataka is concerned, BJP and JD(S) both of them are joining hands, this is what I have come to know,” said Shivakumar, who is considered to be a master strategist of the Congress. “Sowe will make alternative plans. We don’t mind, let them join hands, but the Congress party will have a good number,” he said.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP had swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by winning 25 seats, while an independent backed by it bagged one seat. The Congress and JD(S) won one seat each. There were reports that the JD(S) would enter into an alliance with the BJP to fight the Lok Sabha polls