Bengaluru: In a big embarrassment for Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, a video of his cabinet colleague N Cheluvaraya Swamy has gone viral on social media where he is candidly admitting that promise of 5 Guarantees (5Gs) was an election gimmick to win the husting.
"To get results in our favour, this kind of cheap popularity (5Gs) and everything else we need to do. Whether we like it or not; whether Siddaramaiah likes it or not, we have to do these things, and accept (justify) it as well," he said.
These tactics, the agriculture minister said, are inevitable to obtain power to do something for the society. He said, "Somewhere it has become necessary for us to gain power. Unless we come to power, we will not be able to do something (for the people). When we realise this, things like election, results and formation of the government becomes that much important," he said.
Swamy, however, admitted that freebies are bad for the country's well-being, and the Congress party is moving in this direction. "Discussions on freebies have been taking place. We (Congress party) also discussed it. It is bad. If we all go after freebies, we (country) will reach somewhere else (will have far reaching consequences). Even though we are moving in this direction," he said.
These remarks came in the wake of public anger over far too many conditions imposed on availing benefits of the 5 Guarantees promised by the Congress in its election manifesto.
The anger of the people also shows that 5Gs have played a stellar role in people voting Congress to power in the just-concluded assembly election in the state. (UNI)
