Rahul Gandhi, a Congress leader, spoke at public meetings in Bhalki and Humnabad in Karnataka, saying that the 50% cap on reservation should be lifted, caste census should be made public, and Dalits and Adivasis should get reservation proportionate to their population. Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the 2011 census’ caste-based OBC categorisation data in the public domain and to provide reservation based on population, and demanded that the 50% cap on reservation be removed. He also accused the BJP and RSS of attacking Basavanna’s ideals of equal partnership, equal opportunities, and everyone moving ahead together.
Gandhi expressed confidence that the Congress would win the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka with an absolute majority of at least 150 of the total 224 seats. He urged people to ensure this happened so that the ruling BJP wouldn’t resort to buying MLAs after the polls. Gandhi said that the Congress party would take a decision on implementing its poll guarantees in its first cabinet meeting after forming the government. Congress party’s four poll guarantees are 200 units of free power for all households, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for the woman head of every family, 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household, and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for two years for those aged between 18-25.
AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (in-charge of Karnataka), KPCC working president and candidate from Bhalki Assembly seat Eshwar Khandre were among those present, while at the Humnabad public meeting they were joined by incumbent MLA and candidate Rajashekar B Patil.
