Karnataka Assembly Election: Aimed at galvanising the support of womenfolk ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed a women's convention on Monday.
"I want to ask a question, under BJP government, has your life become better? Did anything change in your life? Look at past few years and evaluate your life before voting," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.
This is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's first "political visit" to the State, and she will be sending a message to the womenfolk of Karnataka, party's State president D K Shivakumar said.
"I have been told that situation in Karnataka is very bad, Rs 1.5 lakh crore money has been lost through corruption. PSI scam is really shameful, you educate your children and this is what you get from politicians in power," she added.
Congress promises monthly Rs 2,000 to each housewife if voted to power: Priyanka
The Congress in Karnataka promised to give Rs 2,000 a month to a housewife in every household if voted to power, said party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a convention here. This is the guarantee given by the AICC general secretary to every woman in Karnataka, it was announced in the "Na Nayaki" event organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at Palace Grounds here. Titled 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, it would benefit 1.5-crore housewives, the KPCC said.
The announcement comes within days of the party promising to provide 200 units of free every month to all households in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May.
Separate manifesto for women
Shivakumar said the party is planning a separate manifesto for women ahead of polls, due by April-May, and want's to release a "guarantee letter" expressing Congress' commitment towards them.
The KPCC chief was speaking to reporters after inducting JD(S) leaders from Ramanagara and Mandya districts - Vishwanath and Radhakrishna - respectively along with their supporters at the party office here.
Vishwanath had even contested against Shivakumar in Kanakapura assembly segment earlier.
"Women are 50 per cent of the population, Congress has decided to prepare a separate manifesto for women regarding the ways in which the party can contribute to betterment of their lives and addressing the issues faced by them. Also building leadership among them and strengthening them," Shivakumar said.
Highlighting Congress' programmes for the betterment of women, he said, the party intends to release a "guarantee letter" for womenfolk along with the manifesto ahead of elections, and as part of this effort suggestions and inputs have been invited from all leaders till January 15.
"Also a massive convention of women leaders from Panchayat and society level to right up to the top level has been organised on January 16 at Palace Ground in Bengaluru, several national leaders will be attending this event," he said.
Noting that she will "review the process", and address the convention and make some announcements for women on behalf of the party, the KPCC chief said, details about the event will be shared soon.
Claiming Congress as the champion of women's cause by having reservation for them, Shivakumar in response to a question said, it is the party's resolve to give them strength politically, educationally, economically and socially in accordance with their population.
Stating that price rise has become a major issue that is affecting normal lives of people, Shivakumar said, the BJP government had promised to double the income, which did not happen, but the price of essential commodities is increasing.
Bommai ridicules Priyanka over Congress event
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday ridiculed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's event titled "Na Nayaki" (I am the woman leader) in the city, saying the Congress general secretary has reached a stage where she herself has to announce that she is a leader.
The chief minister said since there are no women rallying behind her, Gandhi herself had to announce "Na Nayaki", adding the women of Karnataka are not ready to accept her call.
"Let her (Priyanka) come. Many people come to Bengaluru. I don't have objection. May the event take place properly, but one thing which I am failing to understand is the title of the programme Na Nayaki ," Bommai said.
"Today people have to say Na Nayaki by keeping Priyanka Gandhi's photo. Such a situation has risen where Priyanka Gandhi has to announce herself as a woman leader", Bommai added.
Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May
Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May and both the ruling BJP and its rival Congress are keen to win the polls.
On the Congress proposing to come out with a women-specific budget if it is voted to power in the coming polls, Bommai said the party will never get a chance for it.
"The Congress leaders know that they will not come to power, so they are giving all kinds of assurances," he said.
