Quota flip-flop leaves no easy way for Karnataka govt, Congress

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Congress and its government in Karnataka find themselves in a quandary over the now «temporarily» halted proposed law framed to ensure quota for locals in private sector jobs. According to some party leaders, if the bill was born out of the political compulsions of the Karnataka Congress and its government to fulfill their electoral promises, its halting in the wake of the protests from industry demonstrated the government's administrative compulsions to be sensitive to the backslash from business and investors to the proposals and avert a capital flight from Bengaluru.

Congress leaders pointed out that the party's election manifesto in the run-up to the state assembly election had promised such a quota in the private sector.

«There is a growing sense of disenchantment among the local Kannadiga population that their youths are not finding enough jobs, even as industry, business and investments are growing in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka with active support of the state government,» said a senior Karnataka Congress leader who did not wish to be identified. «Some studies claim the local population does not have even a 20% share in these jobs.

The Congress has, therefore, made promises, especially to the locals in the C and D categories in the private sector. There seems to be some confusion, especially after the talk of quota in managerial jobs.