Congress Will Return to Power in Karnataka in 2028 and at the Centre in 2029: CM D.K. Shivakumar
Bengaluru, June 28: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday expressed confidence that the Congress party would retain power in Karnataka in 2028 and form the government at the Centre in 2029, while urging workers to strengthen the organisation and safeguard their voting rights.
Addressing the 316th All India Executive Committee meeting of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) at the Bharat Jodo Hall in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office, Shivakumar said the Congress would require the support of workers and ordinary citizens to achieve the political goal.
“The Congress party will come to power again in Karnataka in 2028 and at the Centre in 2029. For that, we need the support of workers, labourers and common people across the country,” he said.
‘Workers Are the Backbone of India’s Economy’
The Chief Minister said India’s economic growth would not be possible without the contribution of workers.
“Farmers, teachers, soldiers and workers are the pillars of society. Without workers, no country’s economy can progress. When industries grow, workers must also prosper. Development can happen only when both move forward together,” he said.
Shivakumar praised INTUC for strengthening the labour movement and said the organisation has remained an integral part of the Congress party.
Recalling former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s observations, he said INTUC, NSUI, Youth Congress and Mahila Congress were considered the four organisational pillars of the Congress.
Raises Concern Over Electoral Roll Revision
The Chief Minister alleged that workers should remain vigilant during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls beginning June 30, claiming that workers’ names could be deleted from the voters’ list.
“Everyone, especially workers and labourers, must ensure that their names are not deleted from the electoral rolls,” he said.
Highlights Congress’ Labour Welfare Measures
Shivakumar credited former Union Labour Ministers Oscar Fernandes and Mallikarjun Kharge for introducing several reforms for workers, including strengthening the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) system and expanding medical education opportunities for workers’ families.
He said the Congress government in Karnataka has implemented its five guarantee schemes primarily for the welfare of workers, women and economically weaker sections.
“Our guarantee schemes were criticised initially, but they were introduced to protect people from rising prices. Today, even those who criticised these programmes are adopting similar welfare measures,” he said.
According to the Chief Minister, the State Government is spending more than ₹50,000 crore annually on the implementation of the guarantee schemes.
‘Congress Built Modern India’
Shivakumar said the Congress has played a historic role in nation-building since Independence.
“The history of the Congress is closely linked with the history of India. From Jawaharlal Nehru onwards, the party has worked to build the nation and strengthen constitutional rights for every citizen,” he said.
He also claimed that Karnataka continues to make a significant contribution to India’s economy through tax revenues and industrial growth.
Highlighting Bengaluru’s role in the country’s economy, Shivakumar said the city has nearly 25 lakh IT professionals, compared to around 16 lakh in California.
Calling upon party workers to remain united, he urged them to work collectively to strengthen the Congress organisation across the country.
The Chief Minister’s remarks regarding future election outcomes and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) reflect his political views and allegations made during the meeting. There was no immediate response from the Election Commission or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to these statements.
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