Providing 10 lakh jobs a year to youths and welfare of all sections of society are among the major promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the November 28 in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, which was released in Bhopal on Saturday.
The BJP, which has been ruling the State since 2003, is trying to retain power amid the Congress’s allegations of a collapse of governance and its failure to work for agriculturists.
Madhya Pradesh last year witnessed large scale protests by farmers for better Minimum Support Price for their produce and other demands, forcing the government to announce a slew of measures.
The manifesto, called “Drishti Patra” (vision document), was released by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at the State BJP headquarters.
“We will provide 10 lakh jobs and self employment opportunities per year for the youth of the state,” Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters.
Mr. Chouhan, accompanied by Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Narendra Singh Tomar, promised to make a provision for free education for the poor. “We have prepared a roadmap for the development of the State as well as the welfare of each section of society,” he said.
The BJP has promised measures to ensure welfare of farmers, women, backward classes and traders, besides the youth.
Elections to the 230-member Assembly are to be held on November 28 and the results will be declared on December 11.
Last Saturday, the Congress released its manifesto — ‘Vachan Patra’.
The Congress promised an ‘adhyatmik vibhag’ (spiritual department), as well as plans to promote the Sanskrit language.
The manifesto spoke of developing the ‘Ram path, a mythical route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile, and the commercial production of ‘gaumutra’ (cow urine) and ‘kanda’ (cowdung cakes).
Demonetisation highly ethical move, not political: Jaitley
Speaking after releasing the manifesto, Mr Jaitley defended demonetisation, saying it was a “highly ethical” move and not a political one.
His statement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were engaged in a war of words during the respective election rallies over the decision suddenly announced in November 2016 to junk a bulk of the currency in circulation.
The Minister said demonetisation had increased the tax return filings and the revenue of the States and the Centre immensely.
Mr. Gandhi on Friday said demonetisation was the “biggest scam” of India.
Addressing a rally in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, Mr. Modi claimed people did not have issues with demonetisation, but “only a family“.
The Prime Minister claimed the Congress was “worried” that he took away all the money its “minions and friends” had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.
Mr. Modi said his government was investing the money recovered post-demonetisation on carrying out public works and funding welfare schemes.
