Bengaluru: The Congress party released its Karnataka poll manifesto called 'Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota' (Peaceful garden of all communities) on Tuesday ahead of the May 10 state assembly elections. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, party state president DK Shivakumar and other leaders were present on the occasion.
The party announced that if voted to power it will provide 200 units of free electricity to every household, Rs 2,000 every month to every woman head of the family, Rs 3,000 per month for two years to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month to unemployed diploma holders. It also promised free travel to all women in regular KSRTC/BMTC buses.
The party will also 'sympathetically' consider an extension of OPS to the pensionable government employees who joined service since 2006, to fill unapproved vacancies in all government departments within one year, it stated.
"We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations," the grand old party stated in its manifesto.
The party also reiterated its commitment to increase reservations for SC's from 15 percent to 17 percent, for ST’s from three percent to seven percent, restore minority reservations to four percent and increase reservations for Lingayats, VokKaliggass and other communities.
As the polling date nears, the Congress has stepped up its attack against the incumbent BJP describing it as the '40 percent' government. The Congress has included many BJP turncoats in its candidate list, the prominent among them being former Chief Minister of Karnataka Jagdish Shettar. The counting of votes is scheduled on May 13.
