Bengaluru, Mar 5 (IANS): The BJP in Karnataka is relying on the central government's free foodgrains distribution scheme to counter the Congress' freebies announcement spree during the campaigning for the state Assembly elections.
The BJP is unfazed with the scale of freebies being announced by Congress. BJP leaders are confident that the Congress' freebies announcement spree is a "sign of nervousness" as the state elections approach.
They pointed out that Chief Minister Basavarj Bommai in contrast is working with the vision of "New Karnataka" to build a prosperous state where all sections of the society will have opportunities to prosper.
In line with the announcements for freebies, Congress last week promised 'Anna Bhagya Yojna', under which the people will get 10 kg rice each month. BJP leaders maintained that Congress leaders are "trying to mislead the people by making hollow promises".
"When Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister of Karnataka, he had announced the same scheme. But soon after, he reduced it from 10 kg to 5 kg by cleverly using the Central government's scheme for 5 kg foodgrains under the National Food Security Scheme. The people have not forgotten the deeds of Siddaramaiah," said a senior BJP functionary.
"In fact, some of the state governments have been seeking to take political mileage by using the Central government's scheme for free foodgrains by giving their own name to it, which was done by Siddaramaiah when he was the Chief Minister of the state," a BJP leader said.
"...Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now ended the scope for the Opposition-ruled states to take political benefits out of the Central schemes by marketing them as their own after the Union Cabinet in a meeting presided over by the Prime Minister decided to club the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) with the National Food Security Scheme and now the people will get 5 kg foodgrains per person each month free of cost," he elaborated.
The BJP leaders are also confident that Modi's image of a "caring Prime Minister" - who ensured that "no one went hungry during the pandemic" by launching the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna - will deny space to the Opposition to indulge in politics in the name of free foodgrains.