Karnataka government formation: Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday released a video message thanking people of Karnataka for giving the grand old party a historic mandate.
"From my heart, I wish to thank the people of Karnataka for giving the Congress party a historic mandate. I would like to reassure the people of Karnataka that the Congress government will stand by its commitment to implement the promises it made to them. I am proud that the first cabinet meeting has already approved the immediate implementation of our five guarantees. The Congress party remains committed to the prosperity, peace and progress of Karnataka," Congress' official Twitter handle Twitter a clip of Gandhi quoting her.
Congress govt's first move
Congress leader Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister in a grand ceremony here on Saturday and the new dispensation held its first Cabinet meet that gave an in-principle approval to implement its poll promises, estimated to cost the exchequer about Rs 50,000 crore annually. State Congress president D K Shivakumar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, along with eight legislators as Ministers at the event held exactly a week after the party swept the Assembly polls in Karnataka. A galaxy of opposition leaders, including Chief Ministers of some non-BJP ruled States, took part in the mega event signifying solidarity with the Congress party to take on the BJP next year in the Lok Sabha elections. Heralding the return of the Congress government after a gap of five years, leaders shook hands warmly and embraced each other at the ceremony.
Earlier, her son and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who on Saturday attended Siddaramaiah's oath-taking ceremony held in Bengaluru, said the five 'guarantees' promised by the party before the elections in Karnataka will be implemented within a few hours after the first Cabinet meeting.
"I had said we don't make false promises. We do what we say. The first cabinet meeting of the new government will take place in one to two hours. In that meeting, all the five 'guarantees' will become a law,” Gandhi said after the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister.
Congress 5 poll promises are-
These guarantees are: 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), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi) and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
Political observers said the promise of 'guarantees' found resonance with the people during the campaigning, particularly women, and played a key role in the stupendous victory of the Congress in the Assembly polls.
Gandhi also said the Congress won the election because it had "truth and the backing of poor people" by its side whereas the BJP had "money, power and police."
He also expressed his gratitude to the people of Karnataka for their wholehearted support to the Congress.
"We understand the sufferings you underwent in the last five years. Media wrote about why the Congress won the election. Various analyses and various theories were floated. However, the reason for the victory was that the Congress stood by poor, weaker sections and backward communities, Dalits and tribals," he said.
In the May 10 Assembly elections, the Congress ousted the BJP from power, winning 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly. BJP got 66 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda managed only 19.
(With PTI inputs)
