Karnataka Elections 2023 Highlights: Congress announces fifth poll 'guarantee': free travel for women in public transport buses

Announcing the fifth poll "guarantee" oftheCongress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls inKarnataka, party leaderRahulGandhi on Thursday promised free travel for women in public transport buses, if it's voted to power in the state.

Congress leaderRahulGandhi said: “As soon as Congress comes to power, on the very first day the fifth guarantee will also be implemented. Women acrossKarnatakawill travel free in public transport buses."

Congress has already announced four guarantees: 200 units of free power to all households (GruhaJyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (GruhaLakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (AnnaBhagya), and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi).

"We have ideological differences.RSS-BJP'sideology is poisonous. But they compared it to Prime Minister and claimed that I commented about him. It was never my intention to speak about any person or hurt anyone."

"If my statement has hurt anyone, if it was misconstrued and distressed anyone, I will express special regret for it."

Caste census report was done duringSiddaramaiah'stime, why isn't he bringing it out, he is playing with the sentiments of people of backward classes...:KarnatakaCM andBJPleaderBasavarajBommai

BJP top-brass demands apology from Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge for likening PM Modi to snakes

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday came down heavily on the Congress alleging that it used “mazhab” (meaning religion in Urdu) to come to power.

Singh also slammed the party for having introduced four per cent reservation, in its earlier term, on religious lines in Karnataka, saying it had been done only to appease Muslims.

“If there is any political party in the history of India which took the support of ‘dharma’, or rather, 'mazhab' to come to power, then it is Congress,” Singh said, addressing a public meeting at Kagwad in Belagavi district.

Congress' warranty has expired, party not in state to give any guarantee in Karnataka

Rahul Gandhi promises Rs 1 lakh interest-free loan to fisherwomen, Rs 25 subsidy a litre up to 500 litresof diesel a day if Congress wins in Karnataka.

“Once Congress comes to power, we will give Rs 10 lakh insurance cover to fishermen... I can assure you that the Congress govt will be very sensitive to the needs of fishermen and we will make sure that your interests are protected,” he said during his interaction with the fisherfolk community in Udupi.

Congress leaders on Thursday complained to the police against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his alleged statement that if their party won the upcoming elections, then Karnataka would be “afflicted with riots", and claimed he said it with the clear intent of disrupting the communal harmony in the state.

It also requested the police that an "urgent and immediate" FIR be lodged against the former BJP chief and others for the "offences".

The complaint was made by AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Congress president DK Shivakumar and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara to the Station House Officer, High Grounds police station here.

“It wasn't meant for PM Modi, what I meant was that the BJP's ideology is 'like a snake'. I never said this personally for PM Modi, what I said was their ideology is like a snake and if you try to touch it, your death is certain.”

With less than a fortnight left for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, electioneering is in full swing as political leaders intensify their campaigning across the state to woo voters.

While the ruling BJP fielded a battery of its leaders including chief ministers from other states and union ministers, along with state leaders, to campaign in various parts of the state by addressing public meetings, holding road shows and interactive meets, the Congress had its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra touring the state too.

Meanwhile, JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, 89, and his son and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy are leading their party's campaign.

-- There are 18 assembly constituencies in the border district which is a Lingayat stronghold and has been a BJP bastion in the last two decades.

-- Five of the constituencies in the district are dominated by Marathas, while Lingayats form a majority in most of the 13 remaining constituencies. There is a sizable population of OBCs and SCs/STs as well, with two seats reserved for these groups in the district.

-- From the powerful Jharkiholi family, Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi are contesting on a BJP ticket from Gokak and Arabhavi assembly constituencies, respectively. Another member of the family, Satish Jarkihol is contesting on a Congress ticket from the Yemkanmardi seat.

-- Shashikala Jolle is contesting on BJP ticket from Nippani constituency. Her husband Anna Saheb Jolle is the BJP Lok Sabha member from Chikkodi in Belagavi district.

-- From the Khatti family, Ramesh Khatti — who represented the Chikkodi parliamentary constituency from 2009-2014 — is contesting on a BJP ticket from the Chikkodi-Sadalga MLA seat this time, while his nephew Nikil Katti is contesting from the Hukkeri assembly constituency.

-- After quitting BJP over denial of a ticket, Laxman Savadi is contesting on a Congress ticket from the Athani assembly seat.

The Congress on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark that the grand old party cannot give true guarantees, saying the people of Karnataka will guarantee the end of the "BJP's 40 percent Commission Sarkara" on May 10 and all the promises of the Congress will be implemented.