In a recent meeting held at Srigiripura in Ramanagar district, Karnataka Congress MLA H C Balakrishna has stirred controversy by suggesting that the state government’s five guarantees might be revoked if the party does not secure the maximum number of seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
During the meeting, Balakrishna questioned the voters, asking if their support is for the ceremonial rice distributed ahead of the Ram Mandir inauguration or for the five guarantees implemented by the government. He emphasized the importance of not seeking votes in the name of temples and expressed concern about the guarantees being at risk if the Congress doesn’t win sufficient seats.
The MLA claimed to have conveyed his stance to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, stating that the continuation of the guarantees would depend on the electoral success of Congress candidates in the Lok Sabha polls. Balakrishna implied that if the people reject Congress candidates, it would signify a lack of support for the guarantees, leading to their potential cancellation.
The controversial remarks sparked strong criticism from the BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, who accused Congress leaders of threatening voters in the name of guarantees. He condemned such behavior as an insult to the democratic system and demanded an unconditional apology from the Congress party to the people of the state.
Karnataka’s government, under Congress rule since May last year, had introduced five guarantees, including Anna Bhagya (free monthly rice distribution), Gruha Jyothi (free power up to 200 units), Gruha Lakshmi (monthly allowance of Rs 2,000 for women heads of the family), Shakthi (free bus travel for women), and Yuva Nidhi (unemployment allowance for youth).
This is not the first time Balakrishna has sparked controversy; in October last year, he drew criticism for suggesting that developmental activities would prioritize villages that voted for Congress. The MLA had stated that the government would focus on villages that provided a good lead in votes, raising concerns about favoritism based on electoral results.
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