Congress will form govt in Telangana, implement poll guarantees, says Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar
Hyderabad (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakmar on Saturday expressed confidence that the Congress will form the next government in Telangana and implement its poll guarantees.
He also dismissed allegations made by BRS that promises made by Congress in Karnataka are not being implemented.
Shivakumar, who addressed poll rallies at Tandur and Parigi near here, said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi fulfilled the long spending demand of people for Telangana state 10 years ago and it is time for the electorate to show gratitude to her.
Observing that the Congress had delivered on the promises announced during the UPA government, he asked whether BRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had fulfilled the promises he had made 10 years ago.
The Congress has delivered on whatever it had promised in Karnataka, he said.
Referring to BRS allegations that the Congress government in Karnataka was not able to implement the promises it had made to people, Shivakumar asked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao to visit Karnataka and see for themselves.
"I am asking Mr KCR and KTR. I will arrange for a bus. You all come with your team of ministers... whatever we have promised, we have delivered. You are telling that we are not going to deliver. Karnataka is a state whatever we promised, we delivered," he said.
"All the relatives of Telangana are there in Karnataka, you ask them. Whenever you give time, I am ready to come with you, take you on a bus and show what we have done to the people of Karnataka," he said.
Shivakumar highlighted the six poll guarantees announced by the Congress in Telangana and exuded confidence that his party would come to power.
The six guarantees given by Congress in Telangana are better than the five guarantees made by the party in Karnataka, he said.
The six guarantees include the promise of Rs 2,500 per month and gas cylinders at Rs 500 for women, as well as 200 units of free electricity for all households.
"Today, I have come to Telangana to tell you. Whatever six guarantees Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee under the leadership of Revanth (PCC president Revanth Reddy) has been given, it is better than Karnataka's five guarantees. I would like to tell you," Shivakaumar, who is also Karnataka Congress president, said.
Shivakumar claimed that the entire country wants a change in Telangana and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that Telangana was the most corrupt state in the country.
Telangana goes to the polls on November 30 and counting will take place on December 3.
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What happens to terms Keralite, Keralan: Tharoor's witty take on Keralam replacing Kerala
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had a witty take on Kerala's name change on Tuesday, asking what happens now to the terms "Keralite" and "Keralan" for the "denizens" of the new "Keralam".
In a lighter vein, Tharoor said 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Ahead of the Cabinet decision announcement, Tharoor said, "All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms 'Keralite' and 'Keralan' for the denizens of the new 'Keralam'?
"'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral ! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal," he said, sharing the media report on the name change.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution on June 24, 2024 to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the government of Kerala requested the government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of Kerala to Keralam according to Article 3 of the Constitution.
The matter regarding the alteration of the name Kerala to Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for changing Kerala to Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.
The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam.
After approval of the Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the government of India will take further action and the recommendation of the president will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam in Parliament.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Tharoor said he was truly pleased to see C Rajagopalachari honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days," Tharoor said.
"His set of values and principles -- liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights & freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries -- remain mine to this day," the Congress MP said.
It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today, Tharoor added on X.
