BJP is anti-poor, says Shivakumar

D.K. Shivakumar criticizes BJP for price rise, highlights Congress's pro-people policies and development works in Karnataka.

“People of the State have seen through the BJP’s conspiracy of raising prices and blaming it on the other parties. It is facing a backlash from the people for its anti-poor policies,” Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar said in Belagavi on Monday.

“When the BJP leaders come to you telling lies about how the Congress is responsible for the price rise, you should not only not believe them but also tell them to go away. You should tell them on their face that you know who is responsible for the price rise and that their lies will no longer work. You should send them back,” he said.

He was speaking at a Save Constitution, Save Nation rally.

“Some BJP leaders have been speaking against our guarantee schemes. But they are so hypocritical that they are announcing the same guarantee schemes in all their election manifestos. BJP governments in various States have implemented the same schemes. However , they should realise that our success cannot be limited to guarantee schemes alone. We have taken up or ensured several development works and long-term investments in infrastructure, irrigation and industry,” he said.

He claimed that at least ₹40 crore worth of road construction was taken up in each Assembly constituency. Efforts are being made to build power supply infrastructure to ensure round-the-clock power supply, filling of tanks and lakes and major irrigation projects like Yettinahole are being taken up. “We hope to bring water to Chikkaballapur by 2028,” he said.

He said that the Congress has strongly condemned the terror attack in Kashmir. “We are not playing politics over it. We are in full support of the Union government’s anti-terror measures. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced ₹10 lakh compensation to the tourists from Karnataka who lost their lives in Pahalgam,” he said.

He compared the prices of food, fuel and other commodities to the tenures of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister and Narendra Modi.