BENGALURU: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday took Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to task over remarks on revision of the Shakti scheme (free ride for women in government buses) and said creating unnecessary confusion will only help opposition parties.
“You have implemented the five guarantees and we (Congress) are planning to emulate them in poll-bound Maharashtra. But you (Shivakumar) stated that one (Shakti guarantee) scheme would be dropped,” Kharge said at a function to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel and the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi at the KPCC office here.
Shivakumar on Wednesday stated that the Shakti scheme would be revised as a section of women was in its favour.
While Shivakumar tried to convince Kharge stating that he did not mean dropping the scheme, Kharge hit back, “I have read it in newspapers, have you read it or not?” Siddaramaiah too tried to convince Kharge stating that Shivakumar had only spoken about revising the scheme. Unconvinced, Kharge said that the remarks created confusion and the rival parties would use it to their advantage.
“If we do not go as per the budget, we will go bankrupt and there will be no money to even develop roads. If this government fails, there will be nothing left to pass on to the next generation (of Congress leaders) except for the bad name and the latter has to bear the brunt for another 10 years,” he said.
Stating that the Congress in Maharashtra will not announce umpteen guarantees, he said that it will stick to budgetary provisions to implement those planned.
“This is why Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi stated that he will not announce the party’s promises until he is convinced that they have budgetary provisions. We have done a 15-day study to make the promises fit into the budget and will announce them in Mumbai and Nagpur soon,” he said.
Kharge asked the CM and DCM to keep away from their “sycophants” who always attempt to create confusion. Kharge clarified that he would not interfere in classification of SC quota.
Siddu, DKS capable of solving party issues: Kharge
Kharge also took the state Congress leaders to task for taking up issues concerning Karnataka with him. “I will not interfere in Karnataka’s issues as the state Congress leaders, who are considered as the country’s intelligent politicians, are capable of resolving them,” he said indirectly referring to the SC (left) community leaders, especially Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, for raising the issue of classification of SC quota.
“If I interfere, it gets highlighted across the country. It will damage me, my party and my people. Hence, I maintain silence. But my friend (Muniyappa) keeps coming to me with certain issues which he can resolve easily with Siddaramaiah. I also receive letters accusing me of being against it (classification of SC quota),” he said.
He expressed his helplessness in intervening in issues pertaining to the state as he has been elected as party’s national president by leaders of all communities. In Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and other senior leaders are capable of solving issues related to the party, Kharge said.