Karnataka Assembly election: Addressing a public rally at Belagavi in northern Karnataka on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called on party leaders in the state to fight the BJP with unity, as he exuded confidence of "sweeping" the forthcoming Karnataka Assembly polls with an absolute majority.
Karnataka Congress infighting
Congress is reportedly struggling to put warring supporters of two party stalwarts in the states - state unit president DK Shiva Kumar and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. The candidature of the chief minister post is the bone of contention between the two.
Congress poll promise
Gandhi also announced unemployment allowance for the youth, as the party's fourth poll guarantee, on coming to power.
The Congress has already announced three poll ‘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), and 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).
Gandhi hit out at the BJP-led Central government, saying "this country belongs to everyone, does not belong to two to three selected, it is not Adani's".
"Select people, who are BJP's friends, are getting all the benefits. It is leading to corruption," the Wayanad MP alleged.
Gandhi and AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from the state, said an unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month would be given for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for two years in the event of the party gaining power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May.
Gandhi attacked the Basavaraj Bommai government in Karnataka, dubbing it as the "most corrupt government". "It is a 40 per cent commission government," he claimed.
The Congress, on coming to power, will fill up all the government job vacancies in Karnataka, he asserted. Exuding confidence in the party winning the Assembly election, Gandhi said: "All Congress leaders will fight the Karnataka Assembly election united, Congress will sweep this election."
(With PTI input)
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