The ‘Nandini’ dairy brand was caught in a political storm earlier this month (File)
Bengaluru:
The Congress has joined the BJP in an effort to link Karnataka’s ‘Nandini’ dairy brand with the state’s identity in next week’s polls, triggering a political storm earlier this month.
“We will not allow anyone to destroy the existence of our pride Nandini,” said the Congress manifesto for the May 10 election.
,Sarv Janangada Shanthiya Thota‘(Peaceful Garden of All Communities)’ manifesto was released by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge today, a day after BJP chief JP Nadda released his party’s ‘Praja Pranalike’.
The BJP has promised free ‘Nandini’ brand milk to families belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category if it retains power in Karnataka.
On the other hand, the Congress has promised to increase milk production to 15 million liters per day. For dairy farmers, it announced zero interest loans up to Rs 3 lakh and credit cards with a limit of Rs 50,000 for dairy farmers to buy cows and buffaloes.
It also said it would increase milk subsidy to dairy farmers from Rs 5 to Rs 7 per liter and set up a Nandini Dairy Technology Polytechnic in each mandal.
The ‘Nandini’ dairy brand was caught in a political storm earlier this month after Amul announced plans to enter the Karnataka markets.
The opposition Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had alleged that Nandini, Karnataka’s own formidable dairy brand, would be under threat due to the entry of the Gujarat-based dairy giant into the local markets.
The allegations assumed significance in view of the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka, with the BJP accusing the opposition of politicizing the matter.