Belagavi, Dec 4 (IANS): On Monday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the Congress does not announce guarantee schemes merely for electoral gains but implements them with honesty to empower the poor economically and socially.

He was speaking to the media at Belagavi airport. When asked about the guarantee schemes not yielding the desired results for the Congress in the five state Assembly polls, Siddaramaiah emphasised that these guarantee schemes were for the benefit of the poor not merely for electoral gains.

He maintained that in Telangana, the Congress had achieved victory and obtained a majority. He explained that in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP had won, they had also announced guarantee schemes.

Siddaramaiah stated that his government was ready to answer all the questions from the Opposition during this Assembly session. He emphasised that the issues of the north Karnataka region would be the focus.

Siddaramaiah responded to the united challenge posed by Opposition parties, stating that the BJP had not appointed a Leader of the Opposition even six months after the government's formation in Karnataka and asserted that his government was prepared to face their united challenge.