The Congress party has released its manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. The manifesto includes several significant promises such as increasing the reservation ceiling from 50% to 75%, restoring a 4% quota for Muslims, returning to the Old Pension Scheme, and repealing all “unjust laws and anti-people laws” passed by the BJP government within a year of coming to power.
According to its manifesto released by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, has pledged to increase the reservation ceiling from 50% to 75% to meet the expectations of SC/ST/OBC/minority and other communities, including Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The party has also committed to raising reservations for SCs from 15% to 17%, STs from 3% to 7%, and restoring minority reservation of 4%. Additionally, the party plans to advocate for the inclusion of the reservation hike in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution for its protection. The Congress party has promised to release the Socio-Economic and Caste Census.
The Congress party’s promise to increase the reservation ceiling is significant, particularly because the BJP has made internal reservation for SCs and STs, quota hike for Vokkaligas and Lingayats, and the removal of reservation for Muslims a primary election issue.
In addition to promising to raise the reservation ceiling, the Congress party’s manifesto contains several other important commitments. These include meeting the demand of certain government employees to reintroduce the Old Pension Scheme, allocating Rs. 1.5 lakh crore for irrigation projects, streamlining payments to contractors working on government projects, and repealing all “unjust laws and anti-people laws” enacted by the BJP government within one year of taking office. This includes the three farm laws that have been repealed by the central government but are still being enforced in Karnataka.
It is seeking support from individuals who aspire to government jobs and current government employees. The party has promised to “fill all approved vacancies in government departments within one year” and “consider with compassion” extending the Old Pension Scheme to government employees who joined the service after 2006.
The Karnataka State Contractor Association accused the BJP government of corruption, prompting the Congress party to prioritize improving payment procedures for contractors and eliminating corruption in public works. They also plan to establish transparent tendering processes for government projects and introduce a special law to punish corrupt behavior. Additionally, the Congress party has pledged to protect the identity of Nandini, a popular brand owned by the state-run Karnataka Milk Federation, and increase daily milk production through the Ksheera Kranthi Mission.
The Congress party’s manifesto reiterates its five guarantees: Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Yaduvanshi, Shakthi, and Anna Bhagya. In addition, the party promises to take legal action against groups that cause social discord, provide Wi-Fi hotspots in all gram panchayats, allocate funds to prevent human-wildlife conflicts, enact a whistleblowers protection act, regulate online loan apps, purchase cow dung, set up compost centers with the help of rural women and youth, establish the country’s largest boat-building yard, create a gold and diamond park, and offer a special package to revive establishments affected by demonetization and the Covid pandemic.
The manifesto includes assurances specifically targeted at Bengaluru, such as the creation of a comprehensive law to manage the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by integrating all service providers, including the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), transport, and housing, under a single agency. Other assurances include the construction of elevated flyovers with necessary wings to alleviate traffic, the completion of all pending metro projects within one year of coming to power, and the formation of a Mega Bengaluru Planning Committee.
