Karnataka Polls: Congress will come to power, approve poll promises in 1st Cabinet meet: Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah, DK Shivkumar, KH Muniyappa and others during a public meeting ahead of Assembly polls, in Kolar, Karnataka, on April 16, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said his party would be voted to power in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, and the new government would formally approve its poll promises in the first cabinet meeting itself.

The poll 'guarantees' announced by the party are: Gruha Jyothi offering 200 units of free electricity every month to all, Gruha Lakshmi giving Rs 2,000 per month to every woman head of the family, Anna Bhagya offering 10 kg rice to each member of a BPL family every month and Yuva Nidhi where Rs 3,000 will per month be given to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month to diploma holders for two years.

"These schemes will be implemented on the first day in the first cabinet meeting itself," Gandhi said during the 'Jai Bharat' rally in Kolar in the run-up to the May 10 elections.

He asked the Congress leaders in Karnataka to send across a message all over the country that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can give thousands of crores to Adani, we can give money to the poor and women. "If you wholeheartedly help Adani, we (Congress) will wholeheartedly help poor, unemployed youth and women. You (PM Modi) do your work, we will do our work," Gandhi said.

He also attacked the Basavaraj Bommai government in Karnataka over corruption issues, including allegations by contractors and private schools that they were forced to pay "40 per cent commission" and charges of "corruption" in the recruitment of sub-inspectors.

Gandhi alleged that the contractors' association had written a letter on the issue of "40 per cent commission" to the Prime Minister but he remained silent on it, which was a "confession" that there indeed was corruption.