Chandigarh: Haryana will witness polls to state Assembly on October. The polling for 90 seats will be held on October 5. The results will be declared on October 8. On one side, the Congress is promising 7 guarantees, while on the other, the ruling BJP has unveiled a 20-point manifesto.
It is essential to understand which promises are financially feasible, and which are merely cheap electoral gimmicks aimed at winning votes.
The BJP’s manifesto has promised to provide Rs 2,100 monthly to women under the Lado Lakshmi Yojana. Additionally, under the Grihini Yojana, it has pledged to offer LPG cylinders for Rs 500. Furthermore, the Awwal Balika Yojana promises to provide scooters to female students in rural areas who are studying in colleges.
According to experts, these promises could increase financial pressure. But, BJP has successfully implemented similar pledges in states where it has won elections, and no financial crises have occurred.
Also Read: Initiatives launched by Mahayuti government improve quality of life for women
The Congress started its “freebie” politics with five guarantees in Karnataka, which proved to be a winning strategy, allowing the party to form the government there. In Telangana, it increased the number of guarantees to six and managed to oust the 10-year-old BRS government.
The Congress has promised Rs 2,000 per month for women aged between 18 and 60, 300 units of free electricity, and free medical treatment worth up to Rs 25 lakh. They have also pledged to provide LPG cylinders for Rs 500.
But in the case of Congress the case is different. Congress is well aware that it is misleading voters with these freebie promises. In states like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, the party’s popularity has been waning due to these populist stunts. Congress is facing heavy backlash due to its history of unmet commitments.
Congress’s failure to deliver on its promise of waiving farmers’ loans has been a significant issue, particularly in Rajasthan. During a rally in Pokhran on November 26, 2018, Rahul Gandhi vowed that loans would be forgiven within ten days if Congress won the state elections. Despite securing victory, the pledge remained unfulfilled, contributing to the BJP’s win in 2023.
A similar scenario is unfolding in Himachal Pradesh. Congress’s victory in the November 2022 assembly elections was bolstered by 10 major promises, including Priyanka Gandhi’s commitment to create 100,000 jobs. Despite Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s first cabinet meeting in January 2023, this promise remains unmet.
Additionally, government employees in Himachal Pradesh have expressed dissatisfaction with delays in pay and benefits. Pensioners from the State Electricity Board have protested unpaid bills, threatening to report their board cards to the Election Commission if payments were not made by December 31.
According to The Hindu, several ministers in Siddaramaiah’s government in Karnataka are pressuring the leadership to reconsider implementing the five guarantees for the entire five-year term due to the stalling of developmental projects. The state’s free bus travel for women, which was another election promise, has already caused the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to report operational losses of Rs 295 crore in just three months.
Post Your Comments