By Pervez Bari
BHOPAL – In the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly ensuing elelcions, the saffron party has promised to provide free education to girls from poor families up to post-graduation. The manifesto also promised procurement of wheat at Rs. 2,700/- and paddy at Rs. 3,100/- per quintal.
The manifesto was released in the presence of party president JP Nadda, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP state unit chief VD Sharma.
On releasing the manifesto for MP polls, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said:”It is the guarantee of PM Modi that we will make this manifesto as our road map for the development of Madhya Pradesh and for the welfare of the people of the state. I have a feeling of satisfaction when I say that, whatever we thought and said we tried to fulfil it… When we noticed that girls are killed in the womb… We made the policy like the Ladli Laxmi Yojana”.
The promises were “Modi Ki Guarantee and BJP Ka Bharosa,” the party said. The manifesto promised cooking gas cylinders at Rs. 450/- for beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna and Ujjwala’ schemes. The PM Kisan Samman and CM Kisan Kalyan Yojana, under which farmers get a total of Rs. 12,000/- per year, would continue, the manifesto of the saffron party said.
The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly is set to go to the polls on November 17 in a single phase, and the result will be announced on December 3.
BJP promises Rs.3 lakh cr. for tribal empowerment
Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda speaking at the release of the party manifesto said that the party intends to spend Rs. 3 lakh crore on empowerment of tribals in five years.
Nadda said that for other political parties, a manifesto is a medium of making lucrative promises only to forget them later. But for the BJP, a manifesto is a medium of roadmap for development of the state and it will be realised in letter and spirit, he added.
He said that the BJP has pledged to establish one sports complex in every district of the state. Artisan (Karigar) will receive a financial assistance of Rs 15,000 and a daily wage of Rs 500. In every division, Madhya Pradesh Institute of Technology will be opened on the lines of IIT.
Talking about the manifesto, he said that places of worship of tribals will be expanded with an investment of Rs. 100 crore. He said during the Congress rule in 2003, industrial growth rate was 0.61 percent and now under the BJP regime, it shot up to 24 percent.
Meanwhile, the saffron party has decided to establish three development boards, including Bundelkhand, Vindhya and Mahakaushal Vikas board. Moreover, Bagheli, Bundeli, Gondi and Bhili sahitya academies will be opened. Memorials for tribal heroes and 13 Sanskritik Lok will be constructed.
Under the Atal Grah Jyoti Scheme, Rs.100 will be charged for 100 unit electricity. The BJP promised to spend Rs. 20,000 crore on better health arrangements. Medical colleges will be opened in every Lok Sabha constituency and 2,000 medical seats will be increased in five years. The posts of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff will be filled in every district, the party said.
The 80 railway stations in the state will be modernised with world-class facilities. Airports will be developed in Rewa, Singrauli and Shahdol. Foreign direct investment of Rs. 20 lakh will be attracted and 10 new MSME clusters will be opened.
CM hits out at Cong for ‘Narak Chaudas’ remark
Taking a dig at the Congress for stating that the BJP was coming up with its manifesto on “Narak Chaudas”, Chief Minister Chouhan said Congress does not know that it was on this particular day that Lord Krishna killed demon Narkasur and freed 16,000 queens. It is a day of freedom for women, he said.
The CM said that the state’s economy received a boost as irrigation facilities have been expanded. Now, Madhya Pradesh is number one in many fields, he added.
The BJP manifesto release programme was delayed by an hour as the copy of the manifesto could not be printed. The BJP leaders remained on toes to get the manifesto published anyhow and take it to the programme, which was chaired by party national president JP Nadda.
Sankalp Patra or Nakal Patra: Kamal Nath
Meanwhile, Congress accused the ruling BJP of copying its election promises after the saffron party released its much awaited manifesto for Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections on Saturday.
State Congress chief Kamal Nath called out BJP in a post on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Has BJP issued a “Sankalp Patra” or a “Nakal Patra”? Is this BJP or a copy party? They stole all the announcements of Congress.”
The former chief minister further listed some of the announcements made by both the parties. While Congress has promised to give Rs. 1.01 lakh under Kanya Vivah Yojana, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan led BJP government in the state will provide Rs. 1 lakh. Similarly, the grand old party has announced free education for all the children up to class 12 if it forms government in the state while BJP has announced free education for girls and the poor.
‘Cong will waive farmer loans, what will you do?’
Nath also posed five questions for incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He asked: 1. Congress is waiving off the loans of farmers, what are you doing? 2. Congress is filling 2 lakh vacant posts, what are you doing? 3. Congress is waiving off bills for 100 units of electricity and cutting down cost to half for 200 units, what are you doing? 4. Congress will bring back the old pension scheme for the employees, what will you do? 5. Congress is giving 27 percent reservation to OBCs, what are you giving?
“Shivraj ji, I know that if you have not answered these questions in the last 18 years, then you will not answer them today either. But the people of Madhya Pradesh will give an answer to this trick of yours,” he added.
Manifesto Triggers War of Words between BJP & Cong
After the BJP released its manifesto on Saturday, the Congress has accused the saffron party of copying several of its points. Following this, both the parties have been trading charges against each other.
State Congress president Kamal Nath said the BJP was creating a lot of buzz by stating that the Ladli Behna amount will be increased to Rs 3,000, but the party has skipped mentioning the same in the manifesto.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated in his public rallies that the BJP will increase the Ladli Behna amount to Rs 3,000. In his public rallies at Amla, Bhainsdehi, Manpur, Keolari, Barghat, Chhindwara, Parasia, Sausar, the CM reportedly said that BJP’s manifesto is the roadmap of state’s development. He said that the manifesto speaks about increasing the sum given to the Ladli Laxmi and Kanya Vivah schemes.
