Shivakumar clarifies on MLA’s remark on stopping of guarantee schemes; BJP says it is surrender

Bengaluru: Following attacks by the BJP, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday clarified the statement by a Congress MLA over the possibility of guarantee schemes getting stopped if the party is not supported in the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Shivakumar clarified that guarantee schemes of the Congress party will be continued for five years.

“MLA HC Balakrishna had only warned the people to be careful. But, the BJP is propagating that the Congress is claiming to be stopping the guarantee schemes,” he stated.

Balakrishna, while attending a Jan Sampark programme at Srigiripura Village near Kudur town on Tuesday stated that the BJP was seeking votes in the name of the Ram temple.

“You decide on voting for ‘Mantrakshate’ (sacred grains of rice from Ayodhya distributed to people) or for the guarantee schemes,” he stated.

“If the Congress party is not supported well, the guarantee schemes could be stopped,” MLA Balakrishna said.

Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, on Wednesday ridiculed the party and stated that Balakrishna’s statement indicates surrender even before the war by the party, before PM Narendra Modi.

The guarantee schemes of the Congress are just lures for getting votes of the people, they are not permanent schemes which would shape the lives of the people, he maintained.

The trust and faith of Indians, Kannada people is only on guarantees given by PM Modi, not on the guarantees of the Congress, Ashoka said.