Bengaluru, Oct 31 : Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, stated on Thursday that the Karnataka government was preparing a platform to remove all five guarantee schemes in a phased manner.

Speaking to reporters while campaigning in Channapatna Assembly constituency, Kumaraswamy said, 'Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, stated during a programme that many women spoke to him about the Shakthi free travel scheme and told him that they were ready to pay the ticket price.'

'This is the first stage. It is a message that they are preparing a platform for removing all five guarantees in the state one after the other,' claimed Kumaraswamy.

'Is it possible that anyone would say that they do not have any financial issues and Shakthi free travel scheme for women should be stopped'? Kumaraswamy asked.

'Already they have placed guidelines for the Anna Bhagya scheme in which 10 kg of free rice is given for every member of a BPL family. In every taluk they are taking out 3,000 to 4,000 BPL cards. They have cancelled 20 lakh BPL cards in the state. This is nothing but an indication of withdrawing the guarantees one after the other,' Kumaraswamy stated.

He went on to state that the true colours would be revealed soon and that Karnataka was a resourceful state and its economy had suffered because of the flaws of the management.

'The people of the state have never rendered Karnataka's treasury empty. But the present government is swindling money for different purposes and hence the state is facing a financial crunch,' he claimed.

When asked about cooperation by BJP leaders in the Channapatna bypolls, he stated, 'The BJP leaders have taken up responsibilities with love and resolve to win the Channapatna seat, there is no pressure on them. The BJP and JD(S) alliance is not a temporary one. It had suffered a setback due to others and I have suffered because of the previous decision when the JD(S) had cut ties with the BJP. The people also had to suffer.'

'The alliance between the two parties will continue in future and all BJP leaders are working towards it. The BJP had asked C.P. Yogeshwara to contest on the party symbol but he went on to join the Congress and became their candidate,' he stated.

'Following this, the BJP leaders have decided to retain the seat for the NDA. The BJP workers and leaders are working in tandem towards it,' he added.

'The Congress government is going to fall on its own after the bypoll results are announced,' he claimed.

/IANS