Karnataka Dy CM defends state’s welfare model

Spat over freebies offered by the Congress during the Assembly elections in Karnataka continued for the second day with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday citing data on GDP growth of Karnataka to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlights 10.2% GDP growth

Citing data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Karnataka’s GSDP growth for 2023-24 is 10.2 per cent, surpassing the national average of 8.2 per cent. These are facts, backed by figures and supported by credible sources.

Quoting figures from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Shivakumar said Karnataka’s GDP growth for 2023-24 was 10.2 per cent, surpassing the national average of 8.2 per cent.

In a post on X, he said, “Karnataka’s GSDP growth for 2023-24 is 10.2 per cent, surpassing the national average of 8.2 per cent. These are facts, backed by figures, supported by credible sources. The question is: do these facts even reach the Union Government, or do these reach those who formulate tweets for the highest offices at the Centre?”

In response, Pralhad Joshi said it was none other than DK Shivakumar who said the state government would not be able to focus on development projects this year due to financial limitations caused by fulfilling the five poll guarantees promised by the Congress during elections.

“Your own MLAs are crying over non release of funds for developments of the constituency. Your economic advisor Raya Reddy clearly said the Congress guarantees have failed in Karnataka, which also led the State to lack in development,” Joshi wrote on his X handle.

The promises made by the Congress party during the Assembly polls in Karnataka in 2023, included free bus rise for women in state-owned buses, free supply of power for up to 200 units in each billing cycle and monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to women heads of families.

The current row started on Friday after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge advised the party’s state unit in Karnataka about fiscal responsibility, saying they should announce guarantees based on available finances.

“Otherwise, there’ll be bankruptcy. If there’s no money for roads, everyone will turn against you”, Kharge warned.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seized on Kharge’s comments and said Congress was now realising that making promises was easy implementing the promises was tough. “Campaign after campaign they promise things to people which they also know that they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed,” PM Modi said.