New Delhi: During the unveiling of the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections, BJP President JP Nadda on Monday said that the manifesto was not drafted sitting in an air-conditioned room. Instead, it was the result of extensive efforts and perseverance by BJP workers who tirelessly visited every part of the state, gathered suggestions, and engaged with lakhs of households.
Addressing a rally, Nadda said, "The manifesto for Karnataka has not been formulated sitting in an AC room, rather a due exercise has been done; a great amount of toil and perseverance by our workers who visited every corner of the State was done, before this was created."
JP Nadda in the presence of Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa released the party's manifesto in Bengaluru today.
Speaking about the development of Bengaluru, he said, "We will develop Bengaluru for the next generation by designating it as ‘State Capital Region’, and executing a comprehensive, technology-led city development program - centred around Ease of Life, cohesive transportation networks and enabling ecosystems for making Bengaluru a Global Hub of Digital Innovation."
Nadda claimed that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government looted the state's natural resources and let criminals run amok.
"Siddaramaiah's government was absolutely a Reverse Gear government; it looted the natural resources, was letting the criminal and anti-social elements to run amok, and appeasing a certain section of the society only to consolidate its vote bank!" Nadda said.
Nadda further added, "We are a government of Double-Engine, theirs is a Trouble-Engine; we are here to give Pace to the development, they only give 'Brakes' to the development. Today, Karnataka has become the top-destination for the Foreign Direct Investments."
Among the poll promises include the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in Karnataka and to improve the "ease of living" of apartment dwellers by constituting the Karnataka Residents’ Welfare Consultative Committee to reform the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972 and to modernise the grievance redressal mechanism.
The party also promised to provide three free cooking gas cylinders to all the families below the poverty line (BPL), one each during the months of Yugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Deepavali. It will also launch the ‘Poshana’ scheme through which every BPL household will be provided with half-litre Nandini milk every day and five kilograms of Shri Anna - siri dhanya through monthly ration kits.
The 224-member Karnataka Assembly will undergo polls on May 10 and the votes will be counted on May 13. A total of 3,632 candidates are in the fray with 707 from incumbent BJP and 651 from Congress while 1,720 candidates will contest as Independent.