Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on Friday that Congress guarantee schemes was being rebadged as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee scheme through Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.
Speaking to media persons on his arrival to Mysuru for a two-day visit, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Mr. Modi was the one who opposed the Congress guarantee schemes in the run-up to the elections in the State claiming that it would bankrupt the exchequer.
But having opposed the guarantee schemes, they are now being rebadged as PM’s Guarantee Schemes. “The BJP is sending vans which have PM’s Guarantee Scheme written all over it,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah. Besides, the BJP was showering guarantee schemes in the five States where the election process was on, he added. ‘’Mr. Modi is scared of me and hence constantly refers to me and Karnataka in his election speeches in other States”, said Mr. Siddarmaiah.
He claimed that Congress on its part has not only walked the talk but kept the promises and four of the five guarantee schemes have been implemented. The fifth is under process and would be implemented from January 2024, said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
In reply to a question on allegations of Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Siddaramaiah lashed out at the former and accused him of practicing politics of hate and vendetta. ‘
Regarding the allegations made by Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy against his son Yathindra accusing him of interfering in transfers and influencing postings, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that it was baseless.
“Mr. Kumaraswamy practices politics of hate and vendetta. He has never spoken the truth and is known for adopting hit-and-run tactics with none of his allegations leading to any finality. He tends to lie and you in the media give him undue coverage. Just because he is the former CM does not mean that falsehood uttered by Kumaraswamy should be covered by the media”, said the Chief Minister.
Ruling out any investigation, Mr. Siddaramaiah said a probe is ordered only when there is substance to the issue and not on baseless allegations.
‘’Yathindra is not only a former MLA but is also a member of the Ashraya Committee and I have entrusted the responsibility of looking after Varuna constituency to him as he has already worked there for 5 years,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
On the entry of former JD(S) MLAs to the Congress fold, Mr. Siddaramaiah said anyone who believes in the Congress ideology was welcome. ‘’The issue is not about placating the new entrants but to widen and strengthen the party’s base. We have the Lok Sabha elections due next year and we intend to win the maximum number of seats possible and obliterate the communal forces”, Mr. Siddaramaiah added.
The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the Congress would win the State elections in Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
