Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday questioned the logic behind the party's Karnataka state government's move to bring in a controversial job reservation bill, calling the proposed and now-stalled policy “unconstitutional” and “unwise”. “I don't know what Karnataka thought of it, on what basis?” Tharoor, responding to reporters' queries on the issue, said. The Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram seat in his native state Kerala also cautioned the Congress government in Karnataka that if such a law was implemented, companies could shift their businesses to neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

That (the bill) was not a wise decision. If every state brings such a law, it will be unconstitutional. The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to live, work and travel freely in any part of the country. Tharoor also reminded Karnataka how the Punjab and Haryana High Court had struck down a similar bill when the BJP-JJP government in Haryana tried to introduce it.

The cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah approved the 'Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024'. Under the policy, a private firm operating in the southern state must employ only Kannadigas in 50% of all management jobs in the company, and 70% of non-management jobs must be reserved for locals. Karnataka's capital Bengaluru is home to many start-ups and tech companies.