Successful implementation of guarantee schemes has boosted Congress workers’ morale, says Manjunatha Bhandary in Udupi

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President and MLC Manjunatha Bhandary on Saturday said that despite the BJP claiming the guarantees had no warranty, people in the State elected the Congress to power even as the guarantee schemes have reached 1.2 crore families.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President and MLC Manjunatha Bhandary on Saturday said that despite the BJP claiming the guarantees had no warranty, people in the State elected the Congress to power even as the guarantee schemes have reached 1.2 crore families.

Speaking to reporters at Udupi, Mr. Bhandary said the guarantee schemes have reached 99% of the beneficiaries immediately after the Congress government came to power. This has boosted the morale of party workers because of which the Congress was facing the Lok Sabha elections with the confidence of winning more than 20 seats.

Taking serious objection to statements by the BJP leaders that it was a fight between nationalists and traitors (rashtrapremigalu and rashtradrohigalu), Mr. Bhandary said the Congress had not opposed the Ram Mandir construction. It was the election Ram who was present at Ayodhya and not the real Ram. The Prime Minister consecrated Ram at Ayodhya solely for the Lok Sabha elections. He questioned whether the sanctity of the temple was affected when Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and performed the puja.

The BJP government at the Centre has exhibited its mean mentality by freezing the bank accounts of the Congress. “We might be left with ₹500 crore after ruling the country for long; but the question is how did the BJP that ruled the country for a decade get ₹6,000 crore,” Mr. Bhandary mused.

The MLC said the BJP has become a washing machine to cleanse corrupt politicians and give them a clean chit. The party was busy in getting leaders from Opposition parties by hook or crook using the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, Mr. Bhandary alleged.

He said the Congress neither believes in nor practises the Hindutva that foments strife between communities, but believes in that Hindutva that embraces all with love.