Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday invited Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) or his son K T Rama Rao (KTR) to his state to see whether the Congress government is implementing its five guarantees in the state, promised to the people before May 2023 elections.

“The Congress implements what it promises to the people. That is what we have been doing in Karnataka. If KCR and his son KTR have any doubts, they can visit any village in my state to personally find out whether we are implementing our promises or not. It is my challenge,” Shivakumar said, addressing a party rally at Tandur, bordering Karnataka, as part of the election campaign.

The Karnataka Congress chief said, if necessary, he would arrange a bus for the BRS leaders to visit his state to find out whether the Congress government was providing five hours of power supply to farmers, free travel for women in Road Transport Corporation buses, ₹2,000 monthly assistance to women, 200 units of free power to all households and 10 kg fine rice per person to households.

“KCR can come and see. The Karnataka border is only 10 km away from here [Tandur]. Not in Karnataka, the Congress party is committed to implement all its six guarantees given to the people in Telangana in letter and spirit,” he said.

He asserted that the Congress would certainly form the government in Telangana. “The first cabinet meeting of the Congress government will be held on December 9, the birthday of Sonia Gandhi, where it shall sign the files pertaining to implementation of six guarantees,” Shivakumar said, adding that it was on the same day in 2009 that the then UPA government at the Centre decided to carve out separate Telangana state.

Shivakumar said that the people of Telangana must reciprocate their gratitude to Sonia Gandhi who granted statehood to Telangana. “People should not forget the roots lest they will never get the fruits,” he said.

The Karnataka deputy chief minister said Congress had a long history associated with modern Indian history. “If Congress is strengthened, the nation would become strong, because a vote for the Congress would strengthen the poor man,” he said.

Telangana PCC president A Revanth Reddy said the chief minister had already conceded defeat as was the same was evident from his statement at the Achampet rally, a couple of days ago, that, if the people won’t elect him again, he would go home and take rest.

“But before he does that, the Congress will see that he coughs up the ill-gotten money he has amassed,” Revanth Reddy warned.

BRS working president K T Rama Rao while reacting to Shivakumar’s statements said the Congress was tried, tested and dusted and the people of Telangana are in no mood to believe it. “The Congress was responsible for the death of 370 people in 1968. Later, it had promised a six-point formula back then and failed to implement it. Now, it is promising six guarantees, who will believe them?” he asked.

KTR said it was the BRS government which came up with several welfare schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. “The Congress in Karnataka copied our scheme. People are very well aware of all these political gimmicks. There cannot be any comparison between the BRS and Congress,” he asserted.