Bengaluru, May 20 (IANS) Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived at Jindal Vijayanagara Airport in Karnataka’s Ballary district on Tuesday to participate in the state government’s second anniversary celebration programme.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed Rahul Gandhi and Kharge at the airport, and the party’s General Secretary and Karnataka In-Charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala, was also present.

The mega event, ‘Sadhana Samavesha’, is scheduled to be held at Hospet town in Vijayanagara district, located in the northern Karnataka region.

CM Siddaramaiah said, “In the last Assembly elections, over seven crore Kannadigas placed their trust in us and blessed us with their votes. Honouring that trust and staying true to our promises, we have implemented the guarantee schemes along with development initiatives. Today marks two years of the Karnataka Development Model — a journey launched with a vision of social justice, harmony, and inclusive growth for all of Karnataka.”

“Heartfelt thanks to every citizen of the state who has stood with us in rebuilding a strong, empowered, self-reliant, and harmonious Karnataka. Your support is our strength. We hope to continue receiving your cooperation in the days ahead,” Siddaramaiah said.

“Today, as part of Samarpane Sankalpa, over 1.11 crore families are receiving Kandaya Grama Hakku Patra (land rights documents), a historic step towards land justice. This is the Congress model of dignity, equity and empowerment,” CM Siddaramaiah emphasised.

“The people of Karnataka — seven crore strong — placed their trust in us, voted overwhelmingly, and elected our government with an unprecedented majority. In return, we are delivering a governance model based on guarantees that includes development, ensuring that the trust of the people is not misplaced,” he stated.

Deputy CM and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar stated, “Over the past two years, we have shown that our five guarantee schemes are indeed guarantees of life-changing impact. The success stories born from these guarantees inspire us to take stronger and faster strides in development in the days ahead. These guarantees have become the very foundation of people’s lives. The Congress model of governance has become a benchmark for the entire country. At every step, our programmes have served as models to follow.”

“These guarantees have not remained mere promises — they have transformed the lives of seven crore people in the state over the last two years. We are with you at every step of progress,” Shivakumar stated.

“These two years have brought joy to countless families and meaning to our efforts. We began the five-guarantee schemes two years ago as a foundation for empowerment and upliftment. Today, they have become a spark of self-respect and a success across the state. With an annual allocation of Rs 52,000 crore, our guarantees have strengthened families economically and given wings to their dreams,” he stated.

The Karnataka government is all set to host the mega event to celebrate the completion of two years in office in the state by distributing land ownership records to over one crore people. The party will also unveil the statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

–IANS

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