Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge pulls up Karnataka Dy CM D K Shivakumar over 'review Shakti scheme' comment

'You have given some guarantees. After seeing them, I too said in Maharashtra that there are five guarantees in Karnataka. Now you (Shivakumar) said you will drop one guarantee,' Kharge quipped.

Bengaluru: The Congress government was forced to clarify that the flagship 'guarantee' schemes will be not be axed even as the party's supremo Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday publicly pulled up Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for saying that the popular ‘Shakti’ programme will be revisited.

"Looking at your (Karnataka's) five guarantees, I have announced five (schemes) in Maharashtra. But you (Shivakumar) have said that one (guarantee) will be dropped," Kharge said while speaking at Congress event to observe former prime minister Indira Gandhi's death anniversary.

Kharge was referring to Shivakumar's statement Wednesday that the government would rethink the 'Shakti' scheme of free bus travel for women as some of them want to pay for their tickets. Shakti was the first guarantee implemented after Congress stormed to power last year.

"I didn't say that," Shivakumar said. Kharge retorted: "You're not reading the newspapers."

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that his deputy meant to say that the scheme would be revised. Kharge was still unamused. "By saying revision, you've created doubts," Kharge said, "and that's enough for those who want to criticise."

Kharge said he has asked the Maharashtra Congress to plan guarantees based on finances. "I've said that they shouldn't announce 5, 6, 10 or 20 guarantees. They should be announced based on budget. Otherwise, there'll be bankruptcy. If there's no money for roads, everyone will turn against you," he said.

According to Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is particular that the party's 'guarantee' promises in Maharashtra must be realistic. "He has said he won't make any announcement before seeing the budget. About 15 days back, we've received (a report) and we'll make an announcement in Nagpur...Mumbai," he said.

Kharge made it clear that Congress should not squander opportunities. "If this government fails, the future generation will be left with nothing but a bad name. They'll have to live in exile for 10 years," he warned.

Even before Kharge's admonishment, Siddaramaiah told reporters that there was no proposal before the government to review the Shakti scheme. "There is no such proposal before the government. He (Shivakumar) said that some women want to pay for the tickets. I was not there at the time. I will speak (to Shivakumar)," he said.

Shivakumar, too, clarified that none of the five guarantees would be stopped or reviewed. "I said that some private company employees are getting transportation allowance and have volunteered to pay for the tickets. How can we force someone if they want to pay for the tickets?” he said. He even cited the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for citizens to give up gas cylinder subsidy if they did not need it. "I said something similar could be done."

Shivakumar asserted that the Congress would remain in power for 3.5 years and win the next election, too. "The guarantees will continue for eight-and-a-half years."