Last Update: May 20, 2023, 22:32 IST
He said that the Congress is committed to the prosperity, peace and progress of Karnataka. (File Photo/PTI)
Gandhi said he was proud that the immediate implementation of “our five guarantees” has already been approved in the first cabinet meeting.
As the Congress government in Karnataka was sworn in, former party president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said the people of the state have given a “historic mandate” for pro-poor governance and rejected the politics of division.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka at a grand ceremony in Bengaluru and the new government held its first cabinet meeting which gave in-principle approval to implement the party’s poll promises.
Sonia Gandhi, who did not attend the swearing-in ceremony, said in a video statement that the people have given the mandate, it is a mandate and a pro-poor government.
I would like to thank the people of Karnataka from the bottom of my heart for giving such a historic mandate to the Congress party. This mandate is for a pro-people government, this mandate is for a pro-poor government. It is a rejection of politics. Reject divisiveness and corruption,” Gandhi said in his video statement tweeted by the Congress.
“I want to assure the people of Karnataka that the Congress government that will be sworn in today will live up to its commitment to implement the promises made to them,” she said.
Gandhi said he was proud that in the first cabinet meeting, approval had been given for the immediate implementation of ‘our five guarantees’.
He said that the Congress is committed to the prosperity, peace and progress of Karnataka.
A clutch of opposition leaders, including chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states, attended the mega event, which marks solidarity with the Congress to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
In its first cabinet meeting soon after the swearing-in ceremony, the new government approved “in principle” the Congress’s promise of five ‘guarantees’ before the elections. Addressing a press conference later, Siddaramaiah cited the estimates and said that the implementation of the poll assurances would cost the exchequer around Rs 50,000 crore annually. He insisted that the pre-poll assurances would be implemented irrespective of the financial implications, if any.
The party’s five electoral guarantees are 200 units of free electricity to all households (Griha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to every female head of household (Griha Lakshmi), 10 kg rice free to each member of a BPL family (Anna Bhagya), unemployed graduate Rs 3,000 per month for youth, Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the 18-25 age group) for two years (Yuvanidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, the Congress won 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) led by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda secured 66 and 19 seats, respectively.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,
