Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday publicly criticised the Karnataka government after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hinted that a significant government guarantee would be reviewed. Citing the Karnataka incident, Kharge warned other Congress units in states that are headed for elections, like as Jharkhand and Maharashtra, to combine budgetary restraint with political pledges.

"You promised five guarantees in Karnataka. Inspired by you, we made a promise of five guarantees in Maharashtra. Today, you mentioned that you would cancel one of those guarantees. It seems like you don't all read the newspapers, but I do, so I'm telling you this,” said Kharge during a press conference, with deputy DK Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his sides. 

The president of the Congress was alluding to Shivakumar's statement on Wednesday that the state government would reexamine the "Shakti" plan, which is one of the government's five promises and provides free transportation for women on non-luxury transport buses. Kharge cautioned that an unplanned strategy could result in financial issues, including bankruptcy, and "impact future generations," urging Congress state units to carefully weigh all the concerns.

He emphasised the importance of fiscal prudence, stating that governments would become disreputable if they failed to fulfil their commitments. "I advised Maharashtra Congress leaders not to keep making promises of five, six, seven, or eight guarantees. Instead, make promises that align with your budget. Making promises without considering the budget could lead to bankruptcy; there wouldn’t even be money to put sand on the roads. If this government fails, it will impact future generations. It could lead to disrepute, and the government might face restrictions for the next ten years," Kharge remarked.

In response to the Congress President’s criticism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar had simply stated that the government would reconsider the issue. "Whatever (DCM) you have said has given them (BJP) a chance," Kharge retorted. In response to Shivakumar's comment regarding the "Shakti" plan, the BJP claimed that the Congress was misleading the public by making extravagant promises in the states it controlled, Telangana, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh, that were not financially feasible. The party also called for Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to apologise.

"The BJP would like to very respectfully convey to the voters of Maharashtra and Jharkhand that whenever Congress people go and make reckless announcements, ask them, "Your President is saying this. Aap kahaan se karoge (How will you do it)?" BJP's Ravi Shankar stated. Following the party chief's reprimand, Shivkumar went on to say that he was proud of the Karnataka government's guarantee model.

"Karnataka guarantee model is a model for the entire country. BJP and other parties are also adopting it and we are proud that we could implement that and we could deliver that. The people of Karnataka and the country are very happy with our model," he said.