'Is this the future template for Telangana,' asks KTR on viral video of Siddaramaiah; Karnataka CM hits back
KTR, the son of former Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar, shared a video in which Siddaramaiah was purportedly seen saying that his government did not have the money to fulfill all promises made by the party in its manifesto.
- Dec 19, 2023,
- Updated Dec 19, 2023 4:46 PM IST
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Tuesday engaged in a war of words with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the Congress party's promises for Telangana. KTR, the son of former Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar, shared a video in which Siddaramaiah was purportedly seen saying that his government did not have the money to fulfill all promises made by the party in its manifesto.
Ahead of assembly polls in Karnataka, the Congress had promised 'five guarantees' which included free power and direct cash transfers to eligible women. In July this year, India Today reported that Siddaramaiah had estimated the five guarantees would cost Rs 52,060 crore for a year and translate into an average financial assistance of Rs 48,000-60,000 annually to roughly 13 million families.
In July, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar reportedly told some MLAs that the state government did not have fund for developmental work as it had to set aside funds to fulfill the promises.
On Tuesday, KTR slammed Siddaramaiah and asked whether this was also going to happen in Telangana, where Congress made similar promises that helped it dethrone the BRS. "No money to deliver poll promises/guarantees says Karnataka CM! Is this the future template for Telangana too after successfully hoodwinking the people in elections?" asked KTR. "Aren't you supposed to do basic research and planning before making outlandish statements?"
However, Siddaramaiah hit back at KTR and claimed that the video circulating on social media was 'fake' and 'edited'. The Karnataka chief minister said that the 'edited video' distorted his statements in the assembly, "falsely implying an admission of the Congress's inability to fulfill promises made in 2023".
"Contrary to the manipulated narrative, the unaltered video clearly reflects my remarks in the assembly, holding the BJP accountable for failing to fulfill promises made in their 2018 manifesto, especially the loan waiver promise they had made. I cited the fact that Yediyurappa, in 2009, had stated that they didn't have a printing machine to print notes and lacked the funds to waive farm loans," he said in a statement posted on X.
Siddaramaiah said Yediyurappa had acknowledged that it was not possible for the BJP to fulfill promises made during elections. "The reality is that the BJP did not fulfill promises made in 2008 or in 2018. They did not fulfill more than 90% of their promises made in 2018."
"Mr @KTRBRS, Do you know why your party lost in the Telangana Elections? Because you don't even know how to verify what is fake and edited, and what is truth. @BJP4India creates fake edited videos, and your party circulates them. Yours is a perfect B Team of BJP," he said while responding to KTR.
For Telangana, Congress has made six promises that include Rs 2,500 for women every month, LPG cylinders for women at Rs 500 each, free travel for women on RTC buses under the Mahalakshmi scheme; Rs 15,000 annually for farmers and Rs 12,000 for agricultural laborers under the Rythu Bharosa scheme; free power up to 200 units under the Gruha Jyothi scheme; house sites and Rs 5 lakh for those without home under the Indiramma Indlu scheme.
By some estimates, these promises are expected to cost the exchequer Rs 68,651 crore. In the state budget 2023-24, Telangana's total revenue was pegged at 2.16 lakh crore while the revenue expenditure was at 2.12 lakh crore. The state's outstanding public debt is estimated to be Rs 3,57,059 crore, which is 23.8 per cent of GSDP.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Tuesday engaged in a war of words with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the Congress party's promises for Telangana. KTR, the son of former Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar, shared a video in which Siddaramaiah was purportedly seen saying that his government did not have the money to fulfill all promises made by the party in its manifesto.
Ahead of assembly polls in Karnataka, the Congress had promised 'five guarantees' which included free power and direct cash transfers to eligible women. In July this year, India Today reported that Siddaramaiah had estimated the five guarantees would cost Rs 52,060 crore for a year and translate into an average financial assistance of Rs 48,000-60,000 annually to roughly 13 million families.
In July, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar reportedly told some MLAs that the state government did not have fund for developmental work as it had to set aside funds to fulfill the promises.
On Tuesday, KTR slammed Siddaramaiah and asked whether this was also going to happen in Telangana, where Congress made similar promises that helped it dethrone the BRS. "No money to deliver poll promises/guarantees says Karnataka CM! Is this the future template for Telangana too after successfully hoodwinking the people in elections?" asked KTR. "Aren't you supposed to do basic research and planning before making outlandish statements?"
However, Siddaramaiah hit back at KTR and claimed that the video circulating on social media was 'fake' and 'edited'. The Karnataka chief minister said that the 'edited video' distorted his statements in the assembly, "falsely implying an admission of the Congress's inability to fulfill promises made in 2023".
"Contrary to the manipulated narrative, the unaltered video clearly reflects my remarks in the assembly, holding the BJP accountable for failing to fulfill promises made in their 2018 manifesto, especially the loan waiver promise they had made. I cited the fact that Yediyurappa, in 2009, had stated that they didn't have a printing machine to print notes and lacked the funds to waive farm loans," he said in a statement posted on X.
Siddaramaiah said Yediyurappa had acknowledged that it was not possible for the BJP to fulfill promises made during elections. "The reality is that the BJP did not fulfill promises made in 2008 or in 2018. They did not fulfill more than 90% of their promises made in 2018."
"Mr @KTRBRS, Do you know why your party lost in the Telangana Elections? Because you don't even know how to verify what is fake and edited, and what is truth. @BJP4India creates fake edited videos, and your party circulates them. Yours is a perfect B Team of BJP," he said while responding to KTR.
For Telangana, Congress has made six promises that include Rs 2,500 for women every month, LPG cylinders for women at Rs 500 each, free travel for women on RTC buses under the Mahalakshmi scheme; Rs 15,000 annually for farmers and Rs 12,000 for agricultural laborers under the Rythu Bharosa scheme; free power up to 200 units under the Gruha Jyothi scheme; house sites and Rs 5 lakh for those without home under the Indiramma Indlu scheme.
By some estimates, these promises are expected to cost the exchequer Rs 68,651 crore. In the state budget 2023-24, Telangana's total revenue was pegged at 2.16 lakh crore while the revenue expenditure was at 2.12 lakh crore. The state's outstanding public debt is estimated to be Rs 3,57,059 crore, which is 23.8 per cent of GSDP.