Rahul Gandhi has been interacting closely with the voters in Karnataka for the past two days regarding Congress' poll promises.
Rahul Gandhi travelling in a KSRTC bus in Bengaluru. (Twitter)
Interacting closely with the voters seems to be the highlight of Congress’ campaign in Karnataka, with former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading the charge.
Rahul Gandhi interacted with college students and working women in Bengaluru waiting at a bus stop in Bengaluru on the last day of the poll campaign ahead of the 10 May Assembly elections in Karnataka.
He also hopped on to a bus and continued to speak to women commuters about Congress’ poll promise of free bus travel.
On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi shared a meal with gig workers, largely delivery partners of online services like Swiggy, Zomato, BlinkIt, etc, at Airlines hotel in Bengaluru before he rode pillion with a gig worker.
Earlier during the campaign, his sister and AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi interacted with citizens up, close and personal whether while attempting to make a dosa or stopping at a village tea shop owned by a woman voter.
The now disqualified MP stopped for a cup of coffee at a Cafe Coffee Day outlet on Cunningham Road. At a close-by Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stop, he spoke to a bunch of college students and working women.
He then hopped on to a BMTC bus and interacted with women passengers to understand their vision for Karnataka, party leaders said.
“They candidly discussed topics, including the rising price of essentials, the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme (₹2,000 per month for woman head of household) and the Congress’ “guarantee” of free travel for women in BMTC and KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) buses,” they said.
The women told him about issues of transportation, and also price rise affecting their budgets.
Gandhi then got down from the bus at Lingarajapuram where he again spoke to women at the bus stop.
Shri @RahulGandhi hops on to a BMTC bus & interacts with women passengers to understand their vision for Karnataka.
They candidly discuss topics including the rising price of essentials, Gruhalakshmi scheme and the Congress' guarantee of free travel for women in BMTC and KSRTC… pic.twitter.com/wqXySTY6Qw
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 8, 2023
Earlier, on Sunday, he reiterated his party’s promise to set up a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board in Karnataka with a corpus fund of ₹3,000 crore and minimum hourly wages for them.
Gandhi spoke about the promise during an interaction with gig workers and delivery persons of various companies in Bengaluru.
Over a cup of coffee and masala dosa, Gandhi sought to understand the problems in the lives of delivery workers, the lack of stable employment, and rising prices of basic commodities, the Congress said in a release.
He also listened to why the youngsters had taken up gig jobs, and what their working conditions were like, the release stated.
“Bengaluru alone has over two lakh people doing gig jobs. The Congress party has made specific promises for them in the manifesto, mainly to set up a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board with a corpus of ₹3,000 crore and to ensure minimum hourly wages for gig workers and other workers in the unorganised sector,” the party said.
Gandhi later hopped onto the pillion seat and went on a ride with a delivery partner.
Shri @RahulGandhi's outreach to gig workers and delivery partners in Bengaluru is a part of his unwavering commitment to the issues of every section of society. pic.twitter.com/uQXB3H8YyD
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 7, 2023
Earlier, on 26 April, accompanied by Congress state chief DK Shivakumar, party General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala along with a few others, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited one of the oldest food joints in Mysuru, Mylari Hotel, for breakfast.
After relishing idli and dosa from the restaurant, she attempted her hand at making dosas in its kitchen.
https://twitter.com/ShantanuGangu15/status/1651127802769608705
On 17 April, amidst the controversy regarding the entry of Amul into the Karnataka market, Rahul Gandhi visited an ice cream parlour in Bengaluru and bought the Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) flagship ice cream Nandini and termed it the “best”.
Ever since Amul announced its launch of fresh milk and curd in the Bengaluru retail market, farmers, leaders of Opposition parties, and activists alike in Karnataka have accused the Gujarat-based dairy cooperative of violating an unwritten understanding between cooperatives not to compete in each other’s market for daily consumption products.
The Union government’s push for multi-state dairies has also given rise to suspicions about whether the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) would be allowed to function as an independent cooperative in the long run.
Gandhi later posted his photo on Twitter with the caption, “Karnataka’s Pride – NANDINI is the best!”
Karnataka’s Pride – NANDINI is the best! pic.twitter.com/Ndez8finup
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 16, 2023
Gandhi has addressed a series of election rallies in Karnataka ahead of the polls. The voting is scheduled to take place on 10 May and its counting on 13 May.
(With PTI inputs)
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