"Shakti scheme led to inconveniences", says BJP's CN Ashwath Narayan

This development comes as Mallikarjun Kharge reprimanded DK Shivakumar for his recent statement suggesting that the Karnataka government would review the 'Shakti' guarantee scheme. The scheme offers free bus travel to women in the state.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said that the Shakti scheme lead to inconveniences to the people. With overcrowding and inefficient services led to collapse of the public transport system in Karnataka. Now realising the mistake, the Congress government wants to withdraw the scheme.

"With the existing fleet of buses, they implemented the Shakti scheme which led to lots of inconveniences to the people. Students and labourers suffered due to overcrowding and inefficient services which led to the entire collapse of the public transport system. Now realising the mistake, the Congress government wants to withdraw the Shakti scheme. That's the right thing to do.

Dr CN Ashwath Narayan further said, "The conflicting statement by Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress National President is very surprising. It has become a comedy government."

Earlier, BJP National spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised the Congress-ruled states alleging that their flagship programs have turned out to be disastrous failship programs.

Speaking to ANI, BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan said, "The so-called flagship programs of the Congress-ruled states have turned out to be disastrous failship programs which have wrecked the state economies and sunk them into the depth of financial despair and brink of bankruptcy."

CR Kesavan further mentioned the reason for the flawed and reckless policies of the Congress state governments.

"The reason for the flawed and reckless policies of the Congress state governments is because they have blindly followed the irrational and absurd Khata Khat economics of Rahul Gandhi. Himachal Pradesh run by the Congress is facing economic emergency. They're facing an economic catastrophe," he said.

Earlier today, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar reconsidered his statement and said, "Karnataka guarantee model is a model for the entire country. BJP and other parties are also adopting it and we are proud that we could implement that and we could deliver that. The people of Karnataka and the country are very happy with our model, " Shivakumar told reporters.

While speaking to the media reporters, DK Shivakumar said that his statement was twisted and whatever the elders say we have to follow that.

"Whatever our elders say we follow that. My statement was twisted. A few have suggested is what I have said. There is no question of closing the schemes. I had just said that we will discuss it. But the BJP just wants to do politics. They have nothing to do better," he said. (ANI)