Congress’s Karnataka model has beaten BJP’s Gujarat model: Rajeev Gowda

In the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly election 2018, Congress’ Rajya Sabha member M V Rajeev Gowda says Siddaramaiah’s Karnataka model has beaten BJP’s Gujarat model on several key indicators

Election News : The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has outperformed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) so-called ‘Gujarat model of development’ on most indicators, says the Congress’ Rajya Sabha member and research department chief M V Rajeev Gowda. A professor of economics and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, from 2000-2014, Gowda has a doctorate in public policy and management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. In an interview with Archis Mohan, Gowda says investment and job generation in Karnataka have been much higher than Gujarat. Edited excerpts:

Is the Karnataka election yet another in a series of elections or do you think it would be a narrative-setting election for the next year, including for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls?

It is a game-changing election. It signals the resurgence of the Congress and the end of the so-called ‘Modi magic’. It also demonstrates that people will vote for governance track record, able leadership and fulfilled promises, rather than just jumlas, or slogans, and election speeches and various kinds of technological hoopla.

How do you see the use of money power in this election?

When do you need to spend money? When you don’t have a governance track record. The BJP, and its party chief Amit Shah are pumping money in advertisements. They now also have B S Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers who are overflowing with money.

Historically, the people of Karnataka have shown themselves as a very wise people. They know the BJP is bad for Karnataka. A vote for the Janata Dal (Secular) is a vote for the BJP.Even this drummed-up hung Assembly prediction will convince people to vote for the Congress. The people of Karnataka do not want to relive the nightmare of the years of BJP government from 2008 to 2013.

Karnataka Assembly Election 2018

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