Congress' 5 'Guarantees' to Karnataka Voters To Become Law After 1st Cabinet Meeting Today

The five big poll promises made by Congress to the voters of Karnataka will be implemented in a matter of a few hours after Siddaramaiah took oath as the Chief Minister of the state on Saturday, the party said.

"I had said we don't make false promises. We do what we say. The first cabinet meeting of the new government will take place in one to two hours. In that meeting, all the five 'guarantees' will become a law," Rahul Gandhi said after the swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru.

In the manifesto, Congress had promised 200 units of free electricity under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, 10 kg rice free of cost to every Below Poverty Line (BPL) family, a monthly cash assistance of Rs 2,000 under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme to every woman head of household, Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 to unemployed diploma holders every month for two years under the Yuva Nidhi scheme and free travel for women in public buses in Karnataka.

After taking the oath, Siddaramaiah too said that they will keep their poll promises. "The five guarantees will get cabinet nod today," the new CM said.

He further said that people are expecting a change and the Congress government will live up to their expectations.

Political observers say that the Congress' promises found resonance with the people during the campaigning, particularly women, and played a key role in his thumping victory in the Assembly elections.

Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second term, along with state Congress President D K Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister, and eight legislators as Ministers on Saturday. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Exactly a week ago, the grand old party emerged victorious in the polls by winning 135 out of 224 seats.

Apart from Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, G Parameshwara, K H Muniyappa, K J George, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge (AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge's son), Ramalinga Reddy, and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan took oath as ministers.