Rahul Gandhi promises sops in poll-bound Gujarat

New Delhi, September 5

Ahead of Gujarat elections due later this year, politics of freebies has intensified in the state with the Congress unveiling its own set of sops to counter an array of “guarantees” that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal earlier announced.

Launching the party’s election campaign from Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad on Monday, Rahul Gandhi pledged free power and a loan waiver up to Rs 3 lakh to each Gujarat farmer; Rs 4 lakh compensation to families of Covid deceased; cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500 instead of Rs 1,000; 300 units of free power to general consumers; 10 lakh new jobs; 3,000 English medium schools, free education for girls and Rs 5 a litre subsidy to milk producers.

Rahul’s announcements come close on the heels of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal promising Rs 1,000 monthly stipend for adult women, free power up to 300 units to each family, Rs 3,000 a month to unemployed youth; waiver to pending power bills issued before December 2021; free power to agriculturists among others.