DAVANGERE: Coming down heavily on the BJP, AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday urged voters to reject the saffron party which is against the Congress government’s guarantee schemes.
Interacting with guarantee scheme beneficiaries at the APMC market, he said, “Don’t vote for the BJP that criticises the five guarantee schemes implemented by the Congress government in Karnataka.
BJP is trying to set a fake narrative, which people of the state are not ready to accept. Guarantee schemes have increased the purchasing power of people. It has helped people who are suffering due to price hike. The Congress government has spent Rs 1.36 lakh crore on the guarantee schemes.”
He said there are two models in the state -- the first is the guarantee model of the Congress government and the second is clipping the pockets of people, which is being done successfully by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government.
“In 2014, before the BJP came to power, the price of an LPG cylinder was around Rs 400. Now it has crossed Rs 950. Petrol, which was Rs 70 per litre, has now crossed Rs 102. Diesel has jumped from Rs 56 to Rs 96. Toll rates have been increased from April 1. Karnataka collects Rs 5,000 crore in toll tax annually. Rs 2.80 lakh crore in toll tax is being collected across the country, yet the roads are in a pathetic state,” he said.
He added that the prices of LPG cylinders, petrol and diesel will increase more after the elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and West Bengal as the BJP has kept the price in abeyance to win the polls.
“Guarantee is the way to save yourself from inflation. The Congress government is spending Rs 50,000 crore every year on the five guarantees. But the BJP is trying its best to stop this. Voters can support the Congress by electing its candidate Samarth Shamanuru,” Surjewala said.
‘Expel Simha for remarks against CM’
AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala accused the BJP of deliberately sending former MP Prathap Simha to campaign for the bypolls just to insult Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Simha’s derogatory remarks about the CM in Bagalkot has exposed the BJP’s despicable politics once again, the Congress leader stated. “Let them expel Prathap Simha from BJP, if they do not subscribe to his remarks, and if they are not a party to the conspiracy,” he said and demanded that an FIR be lodged against Simha and strict action be taken.