MANGALURU, APR 27,
The Congress manifesto for the coming Karnataka Assembly elections is a reflection of the people’s wishes, as it was drafted after extensive public consultation, party president Rahul Gandhi said in Mangaluru on Friday after releasing it.
“On the other hand, the BJP’s manifesto would be decided by three or four people guided by the RSS. There would also be some amount of corruption and some ideas from the Reddy brothers,” he said.
Releasing the party manifesto perhaps for the first time out of Bengaluru, Mr. Gandhi attempted to invoke Kannada pride, something which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had been doing so far. “Karnataka is the guiding force of the country,” he said and added that “Karnataka respects everyone.”
‘Congress practises Basaveshwara’s ideology’
Mr. Gandhi said Congress believed and practised Basaveshwara’s ideology Nudidante Nade (do as you say) and had delivered 90% of promises made during the 2013 polls. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Gandhi said it was easy to garland a Basaveshwara statue and pose for pictures.
“The BJP and Mr. Modi failed to deliver their promises and instead indulged in corruption, including the Raffale deal,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said there was no anti-incumbency factor against his government, which was a natural phenomenon. He claimed that 98% of the promises had been delivered. Karnataka’s best practices are appreciated by the Centre, including online market for Agri products through APMCs (agriculture produce marketing committees) at taluk levels.
Manifesto committee chairman M. Veerappa Moily, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha M Mallikarjuna Kharge, senior leader B Janardhana Poojary and others were present.
