Kharge raps Karnataka on Shakti scheme comment

The Congress government in Karnataka now a days is busy to counter a controversy arises by a comment about the Shakti scheme and advice by the party chief Mallikarjuna Kharge. According to a report, Kharge reportedly snubbed the deputy cm D K Shivkumar over his comment that the state government may revisit the Shakti scheme that provides for free bus travel for women in the state. He issued a caution to leaders about the potential damage such statements could cause. It is said that Kharge advised Congress units headed for Assembly elections not to announce guarantees without considering their budget.Kharge said any such talk would create a doubts in people and asked chief minister Siddaramaiah to stick to the promises made in the budget. He also told party leaders to put any more discussion on the subject at rest. 
Kharge did not want any confusion over the Congress party's commitment to guarantees ahead of assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as well as bypolls for three Lok Sabha and 47 assembly seats including three in Karnataka. "In Maharashtra also, I have said we must promise only those guarantees we would have resources to implement," he said, speaking after paying tribute to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.Chief minister Siddaramaiah ruled out any review of Shakti. There is no such proposal before the government, he said soon after the party event.On Wednesday, Shivkumar said that the government would review the scheme as some women have expressed their wish to pay the fares for government buses.
Asking the Congress chief to apologise for "misleading the public," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "For the first time Congress has accepted that they have misled the public...Will Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge apologise for what is happening in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh?... The INDI alliance will do the same in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and mislead the public...Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation..."Union minister Pralhad Joshi and former CM Basavaraj Bommai too slammed the government for hinting at a review of the scheme.

#WATCH | Hubli–Dharwad: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi says, "Yesterday Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge said that we should give guarantees as much our budget permits and regarding the difference of opinion within the CM and deputy CM and other ministers...Congress… pic.twitter.com/X5fRSi5FHk

— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2024

(State Correspondent)