Harish Poonja, BJP MLA, accused the Congress-led State government of betraying the youth in the Yuva Nidhi guarantee scheme. Out of 5.2 lakh graduates in 2022-23, only 3,500 received financial aid, Poonja claimed, calling it a deception. He urged Congress to apologize to the youth, suggesting fear of their support for Narendra Modi’s third term as Prime Minister. Poonja’s remarks highlight political tensions surrounding youth welfare schemes in Mangaluru.