Karnataka election 2018: Rahul promises 10 mn jobs; BJP calls him liar

Rahul Gandhi said the manifesto BJP will release would not be for the people of Karnataka and reflect the views of the RSS

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday released the party's election manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly elections that promises creation of ten million jobs over five years. Gandhi described the 47-page manifesto as the "voice of the people of Karnataka" and not a document prepared by "three or four people in a closed room". He also took potshots at Narendra Modi, saying while the prime minister likes to tell people his "mann ki baat", this manifesto contained the "mann ki baat" of the people of Karnataka. Taking a dig at the BJP, Gandhi said the manifesto that the saffron party will release would not be for the people of Karnataka and reflect the views of the RSS. The Congress president claimed the the Siddaramaiah government had fulfilled 95 per cent of the promises made in the manifesto released ahead of the 2013 polls after coming to power.

Elections to the 225-seat assembly are scheduled for May 12.

Top 10 developments on Karnataka Elections 2018, Congress manifesto, more

1. 10 million jobs in a year: In a bid to retain power in Karnataka, Congress promised to create at least 15-20 lakh jobs every year  in the state. The party also promised to build three lakh houses every year. "We are committed to address the urban housing challenge and propose to build 15 lakh houses (3 lakh houses per year) for the people of the state", Rahul Gandhi said.

2. Healthcare plan for Karnataka: Claiming to the first state in the country to roll out the "Arogya Karnataka" universal healthcare scheme, the Congress said it will increase the budget allocation for health from the current 0.9 per cent to at least 1.5 per cent.

On March 2, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had unveiled the state's public healthcare scheme, that is expected to benefit about 1.43 crore households, by providing free treatment to all below poverty line (BPL) families at government hospitals.

3. Free education for all students in state-run schools: The Congress party promised to provide free education to all students from grades 1 to 12 across all the state-run schools in the state. Presently, the state gives free elementary education to all children from class 1 to 8 in state-run and government-aided schools. In a bid to promote girl child education, Siddaramaiah had said on February 16 while announcing the state Budget that all girls will get free education up to post-graduation in state-run institutions. All college-going students in the state will receive a smartphone, the manifesto added.

4. Congress to build talent pool for over 3 million IT jobs in Karnataka: Information Technology (IT) will be made an important driver of the state economy by increasing the field's contribution from the current $60 billion to $300 billion, the ruling party said. Currently, the state capital Bengaluru alone, which is home to over 750 multinationals and 2,000 IT firms, contributes about 40 per cent of the total IT exports done by the country. "We will build a talent pool to cater to over 3 million IT jobs in the state by skill upgradation and IT-driven curriculum," added the manifesto.

5. Rahul mathematically-challenged: Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi after the Congress president in a tweet on his party's manifesto for Karnataka claimed that Information Technology contribution in the state is $300 billion, the BJP today said either he is "mathematically challenged or lying" as the money quoted by him is close to 10 times of the state's budget.

"Dear Rahul, read your tweet on Congress manifesto for Karnataka. You are either mathematically challenged or lying, as usual. Quick tutorial: IT contribution at $300Bn is approx 9.6x of the Karnataka state budget, which is 2,09,181 cr for FY 2018-19 (approx 31Bn)," BJP's IT department in-charge Amit Malviya said in a tweet.

6. Sambit Patra says, "Congress has no vision": Slamming Congress's manifesto, BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra pointed out some alarming loopholes which the Congress government was unable to fulfill during the party's 5-year-long tenure. Patra said, "I don't consider this manifesto a manifesto. Congress's manifesto has no vision, no mission and is all about the commission." Sambit Patra also slammed the Siddaramaiah government for not being able to perform in the last five years and accused the government of corruption. Patra claimed that the Siddaramaiah government did not fulfill more than 95 per cent of the promises it made in 2013.

"I have a whole document showing how most of your [Congress's] plans that you promised in 2013 didn't work out. You [Congress] promised Rs 50,000 crores will depend on irrigation Shalini Krishna basin and you [Congress] spent only Rs 6,000 crore rupees, " said Patra.

7.  Rahul's flight to Karnataka faces technical snag: The Congress on Thursday hinted at intentional tampering with Congress President Rahul Gandhi's special flight to Hubli on Thursday. The flight, which took off from New Delhi around 9:20 am, faced unexpected technical errors. At around 10: 45 am the flight suddenly tilted heavily on the left side and the altitude dipped steeply, combined with the violent shuddering of the aircraft body.

8. Rahul Gandhi gets call from Modi after mid-air flight scare: According to Indian Express, PM Modi dialled Rahul Gandhi after learning about the Opposition leader’s mid-air scare during his flight from New Delhi to Hubli, where he is campaigning for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Gandhi landed around Thursday noon and Modi called him soon after. Modi is currently in China for an informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “Prime Minister Modi himself called Rahul. They spoke for a while,” a Congress party source said.

9. IT dept seizes Rs 100 million cash: The Income Tax Department has seized Rs 200 million cash from various parts of the country, including more than Rs 100 million in election-bound Karnataka, over the last few days as part of its crackdown on currency hoarders, officials said today.

The ITD said unaccounted cash of Rs 10 million and unaccounted 6.5 kg jewellery were seized during searches conducted against three contractors in Bengaluru, Davangere and Mysore yesterday following specific information.

10. After aircraft snag, Modi rang up Rahul: Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Rahul Gandhi just before leaving for China on Thursday to enquire about his safety after an aircraft carrying the Congress president developed a snag before landing at Hubballi airport in poll-bound Karnataka, party sources said.

Gandhi received the call around 2:30 PM, the sources added.

The Congress chief is on a two-day visit to the state to canvass for his party for the May 12 assembly polls.