"Development Or Temple?": Karnataka MLA Threatens To Scrap 'Guarantees' If Congress Doesn't Win Lok Sabha Seats In The State

Congress MLA H C Balakrishna has issued a warning to voters, suggesting that if they don't vote for the Congress party in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the promised guarantees of the state elections would be scrapped.

He posed a choice between development and the recently inaugurated Ram Mandir, stating that if the Congress doesn't win, the guarantees, including monthly assistance to women, power supply, financial aid for youth, rice distribution, and free travel for women, would be discontinued.

“I want to ask the voters. Your vote is for the rice grains (akshata) or five guarantees? I have told the CM and the Deputy CM that if Congress gets more seats in Lok Sabha elections, we will continue the guarantees or else we will assume that the people have rejected the guarantees,” Balakrishna said.

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"We will feel that the temples hold more value for you over the guarantees and scrap them. Using that money we will build temples too and ask votes in the name of temples isn't it?” added the Congress MLA. 

Balakrishna was referring to the guarantees (promises) made by the Congress during the state assembly elections that include — Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to women heads of all families (Gruhalakshmi), 200 units of power to all households (Gruhajyoti), Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (Yuvanidhi).

Also, 10 kg rice per person per month (Annabhagya) and free travel for women in the state public transport buses (Shakti).

In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Industries Minister M B Patil said that the ‘guarantees’ were not for elections.

“We will not lose in Lok Sabha polls. We will get 15-20 seats. The guarantees are not dependent on the elections. Guarantees will continue for the next five years,” Patil said.

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