Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified that the state government’s “guarantee schemes” are not aimed at attracting voters, but are intended purely for public welfare, with no connection to electoral politics.

The clarification comes after the Election Commission of India sought details from the state government regarding funds released under these guarantee schemes, particularly in assembly constituencies where by-elections are being held.

According to reports, the development has triggered a political debate, with opposition parties alleging that the schemes are being used for vote-bank politics.

Rejecting these allegations, the Chief Minister stated that the guarantee schemes were introduced to empower economically weaker sections, including women, unemployed youth, and marginalized communities. He said the initiatives have provided direct financial benefits to citizens, improved their purchasing power, and contributed to economic growth.

He further noted that the government had implemented five key guarantee schemes as promised in its election manifesto. These include free bus travel for women (Shakti Scheme), monthly financial assistance for women heads of households (Gruha Lakshmi), free electricity (Gruha Jyothi), food grain support (Anna Bhagya), and unemployment allowance for youth (Yuva Nidhi).

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has sought clarification on whether funds under these schemes were released after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, and whether prior approval had been obtained.

Expressing displeasure over the Commission’s move, the Chief Minister termed the action as “one-sided” and questioned why scrutiny was limited to select constituencies. He reiterated that the government would continue implementing welfare programmes and that they should not be viewed through a political lens.