Mann ki Baat' from Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had no qualms as he borrowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan “Mann ki Baat” to describe his party’s manifesto for Assembly elections in Karnataka as the “Mann ki Baat” of the people of the state. He added critical value by invoking the name of 12th century reformer Basavanna to drive home the point that the party would implement all pre-poll promises.

The key focus areas remain solutions to problems encountered by farmers and creation of new employment opportunities for the youth, given the state’s exalted status as the country’s tech hub. An initiative for developing sustainable agribusiness through an “Agricultural Corridor for Karnataka”, stems from views of experts on how to increase the income of farmers and thus prevent a repeat of suicides witnessed in the state a couple of years ago. Through a new strategy to charm rural and urban voters alike, in particular those in Bengaluru who elect as many as 28 legislators to the 225 member Assembly, the party pitched the manifesto first from the coastal city of Mangaluru through Mr Gandhi, followed by telecom guru and entrepreneur Sam Pitroda in the tech hub a day later. A Bengaluru-focus promise: IT will be made an important driver of the state economy by increasing the sector’s contribution from $60 billion now to $300 billion in five years!

On governance, the manifesto lists elimination of corruption as one of its targets albeit by making good for a folly of the present government by restoring the power of Lokayukta to take up cases suo motu. Whether these promises cut ice with voters on May 12 to give the Congress another opportunity to hold the reins is the big gamble.