Karnataka Elections 2023: Congress announces fifth poll 'guarantee', free travel for women in public transport buses

Karnataka Elections 2023: Announcing the fifth poll "guarantee" of the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday promised free travel for women in public transport buses, if it's voted to power in the State.

He hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that Congress would not fulfil its guarantees.

"Narendra Modi says Congress party would not fulfil its guarantees. We have given you (people) four guarantees and they will be implemented on the first day, in the first cabinet meeting. Modi ji, you said four guarantees will not be fulfilled, I'm adding more to it. We will not (just) fulfil four guarantees on the first day, but will fulfil five," Gandhi said.

Addressing a public meeting here, he said, "We will add another guarantee to four existing guarantees. It will be for women. Modi ji, listen carefully. As soon as Congress comes to power, on the very first day the fifth guarantee will also be implemented. Women across Karnataka will travel free in public transport buses."

"Your (BJP) people looted money from Karnataka's women with 40 per cent commission. It is your work, while our work is to give Karnataka's women the state's money. So, immediately after winning the election, whenever you meet a woman in buses, they would not be paying a single rupee to travel in buses," he added.

Congress has already announced four 'guarantees'  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 rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), on coming to power in the state.

Congress' fifth poll promise interestingly came on a day, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing Karnataka BJP workers virtually, made a strong pitch for ending "revdi culture" (culture of distributing freebies).

Accusing the Congress of engaging in "revdi culture" in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, Modi said their poll guarantees have still remained unfulfilled. "Congress means guarantee of corruption, guarantee of nepotism," he said.

"Congress has reached a stage where it cannot give true guarantees. You are aware that Congress's warranty has expired. Then what is the meaning of its guarantees?" he asked.

Rahul Gandhi in his speech accused Modi of failing to fulfill his promises such as "Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts (of every citizen), employment to two crore youth, fight against corruption".

He pointed out, "When I spoke against corruption, I was removed from Parliament." The Prime Minister had the habit of not fulfilling promises, but Congress fulfilled its promises, he claimed. 

"I want to ask the Prime Minister: we will fulfil our guarantees here in Karnataka; once the Congress government implements our guarantees here, (will) you implement it across the country and show?"

The former AICC president further alleged that Modi "doesn't keep up the promises made to the poor, but keeps up the promises made to Adani ji by giving him airports, ports and defence industries of the country".

"Congress will win the election this time. No one can stop it, We will win with 150 seats (out of total 224). BJP is a '40 per cent party', give them 40 seats, they like the number 40," he added.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, state Congress president D K Shivakumar, and former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily among others were present.