After Cong’s Rs 2K, BJP vows Rs 2,100 for women

The BJP today unveiled its 20-point manifesto for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections guaranteeing government jobs to Agniveers, Rs 2,100 monthly assistance to all women and government jobs to 2 lakh youth.

Editorial: Battle for Haryana

The Congress in its manifesto yesterday had promised Rs 2,000 per month for women aged 18-60 years. In the ‘sankalp patra’, released by national president JP Nadda, CM Nayab Singh Saini, state president Mohan Lal Badoli and others here, the BJP has promised a monthly stipend to 5 lakh youths, five lakh houses in rural and urban areas, an LPG cylinder at Rs 500, free-of-cost dialysis facility at government hospitals, and Olympic nurseries in all districts.

It further offers free medical treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh to every family under the Chirayu-Ayushman scheme. This is in addition to the free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh being given to each family member above 70 years of age.

To create more business opportunities, the party says it will establish 10 industrial model townships on the lines of Kharkhauda and extend loans of up to Rs 25 lakh to entrepreneurs from the Other Backward Classes, the party’s core vote bank.

The party also promises scooties to village girls studying in colleges. The sops for women are aimed at wooing the nearly 95.82 lakh voters (47%) of the total electorate in the state. “The BJP takes its manifesto seriously,” maintained Nadda, asserting all promises made in its manifestos of 2014 and 2019 had been fulfilled.

Terming the Congress manifesto released yesterday a “diluted document”, Nadda said: “Their objective is to deceive people. Their real manifesto comprises land scams, grabbing farmers’ land at low prices and making profits through change of land use, etc. Ten years ago, the then Haryana Government was seen as corrupt.” Former CM and Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda, however, said the BJP manifesto highlighted party’s failures as the promises made in the 2014 and 2019 elections were yet to be fulfilled.

CM Saini alleged the Congress’ “bharti-roko” gang sponsored by Hooda had prevented nearly 24,000 job applicants from joining work, adding the BJP government would get the process completed soon after returning to power.