The Madhya Pradesh Congress has released its manifesto titled ‘Vachan Patra’ for the upcoming assembly elections on Saturday. Party’s state unit president Kamal Nath and senior leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh were present at the unveiling of manifesto. PCC President Kamal Nath said, “This is the first time that a party has released a ‘vachan patra’ and not a manifesto in the state”. The manifesto, titled ‘Vachan Patra’, is divided into 50 sub categories and includes 973 points.
The Grand old party has made some huge promises for farmers like waiving off their loans and reducing their electricity bills. MP congress chief Kamal Nath was quoted by ANI as saying, “We will reduce the electricity bill of farmers by 50 per cent, reduce diesel and petrol prices and open ‘gaushalas’ in every gram panchayat among other things mentioned in our election manifesto”.
Nath also said that if Congress is voted to power, it will ensure to eradicate corruption from villages to cities and fight “mafia raj”. He also promised to set up a separate committee comprising journalists and noted lawyers that will inform people how they have been looted by the BJP in the last 15 years. He further announced a grant of Rs 2.5 lakh and 450 sq ft plot for homeless.
As Rahul Gandhi had raised the issue of unemployment a lot of times in his campaigns, the party has said that government will increase investment in the state to help generate employment opportunities. Samajik Suraksha Pension will also be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.
An allowance of Rs 10,000 will also be provided to one young member per family for a period of three years and Rs 51,000 at the time of a girl’s marriage.
Attacking the BJP subtly Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “This is a vachan patra and not a ghoshna patra, because we all have been hearing ghoshnas for the last 15 years”. The Congress party has alleged that CM Chouhan has made more than 21,000 announcements while in office but has not fulfilled those promises.
In a bid to impress the hindutva sect , the party has promised to build gaushalas in every gram panchayat. It has also promised to launch a ‘Ram Van Gaman Path’ tour to retrace Ram’s footprints in Madhya Pradesh. A new ‘religion and spiritual department’ is also to be set up that plans to begin commercial production of cow urine and cow dung cakes in gaushalas. It has also vowed to pass a law for protection of Narmada river.
State party chief claimed that the party has taken care of every fragment in the society in its manifesto who have been “cheated” by the current BJP government.
The manifesto has been prepared by a committee under the chairmanship of MP Deputy Speaker Rajendra Singh.
Assembly polls in the state will be held in a single phase on November 28 and results will be declared on December 11. The tenure of current Assembly will expire on January 7 2019.