Congress releases 10-point plan ahead of Karnataka assembly election

Kharge urged the party members to work towards bringing the party into power in Karnataka. “I am today the AICC president... for my honour and that of my party you should ensure the Congress (forms) government in Karnataka. If we are in power, we will be able to work for the people and implement several pro-public works. I’m confident you will give us the strength,” Kharge said.

With a few months left for Karnataka assembly elections, the state unit of Congress released a “10-point charter for the transformation, progress and development of Kalyana Karnataka region”, people privy to the matter said on Sunday.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief Mallikarjun Kharge received a grand welcome on visit to hometown Kalaburagi. (Twitter)

All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief Mallikarjun Kharge who received a grand welcome on his maiden visit to his hometown, Kalaburagi, 600 km from Bengaluru, after taking over as the party’s national chief, announced the 10-point charter on Saturday.

Kharge urged the party members to work towards bringing the party into power in Karnataka. “I am today the AICC president... for my honour and that of my party you should ensure the Congress (forms) government in Karnataka. If we are in power, we will be able to work for the people and implement several pro-public works. I’m confident you will give us the strength,” Kharge said.

Referring to the 10-point charter, the AICC chief said, “The charter is for the transformation, progress and development of Kalyana Karnataka. Under a special package, we are committed to provide ₹5,000 crore for the region’s development. A new industrial policy will be framed, 1 lakh (job) posts will be created, irrigation works in Krishna and Godavari basin will be finished within 24 months of Congress coming to power.”

“The charter includes allocation of ₹5,000 crore every year forKalyana Karnataka’s infrastructure development, filling all vacant government posts within 12 months of assuming power, and creating one lakh jobs for the youth over a period of five years in the private sector with a new industrial policy,” he said during the rally at Kalaburagi .

The party also promised four-lane connectivity from all district headquarters within Kalyana Karnataka region to Bengaluru, and setting up an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM).

The charter further states that a mother and child specialty hospital will be set up in each of the 41 assembly constituencies in the region, house for every family, and ₹1 crore will be allocated to every gram panchayat every year in Kalyana Karnataka.

Expressing confidence that the Congress will come to power in the state in the upcoming assembly elections, Kharge said a committee will be formed in every district in the region “to monitor” the implementation of the commitments made.

Pointing to the party’s victory in Himachal Pradesh, Kharge said: “We won in Himachal Pradesh with a good majority by giving a 10-point programme. We should make sure to repeat that victory in Karnataka as well.”

“If we fight among ourselves, we may lose. So, all of us should unite...I have already told all the leaders, including leader of opposition Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar, to work unitedly for the assembly elections. The Congress party should come to power,” Kharge said.

The AICC chief’s call for unity comes at a time when Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah both have been reportedly eyeing the top post despite the party high command’s orders to refrain from an open discussion on chief ministerial candidates.

Earlier, Shivakumar has pointed out several times that a “Vokkaliga has become the KPCC president again”, after SM Krishna, and there is an “opportunity” to become the chief minister as well. “The (Vokkaliga) community has a great opportunity this time that shouldn’t be lost,” Shivakumar had said at a meeting of Vokkaligas, convened to discuss the community’s reservation demand last month.

Meanwhile, at an event to mark Kanakadasa Jayanti in Bengaluru last month, Hebbal MLA Byrathi Suresh, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, had declared the Congress Legislature Party leader as the “next CM”. The announcement was made in Siddaramaiah’s presence.