Congress leaders Bhupinder Hooda and Ashok Gehlot with others during a press conference, in Chandigarh, Saturday, Sept 28, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Congress’ campaign for the Haryana Assembly elections is picking up pace, with the party on Saturday releasing its manifesto promising a the setting up of a state Foreign Employment Board and 33 per cent quota for women in government jobs, among other things, while planning blitzkrieg roadshows by its campaigner-in-chief Rahul Gandhi in the next few days.
Sources said Rahul will hold roadshows in constituencies across the state where there is a fierce competition between the Congress and the BJP and the programme is likely to start on September 30 and end on October 3, the last day of campaigning. So far, Rahul has addressed two rallies in Haryana.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also likely to join some of Rahul’s roadshows. With Rahul starting campaigning in Assandh on Thursday, he has managed to bring warring factional leaders Bhupinder Hooda, Kumari Selja, and Choudhary Birendra Singh on a single platform.
The main narrative of the Congress campaign is based on the 16 promises made under seven guarantees, which were announced earlier this month.
The party’s detailed manifesto, which also contains the seven guarantees, included the promise of a caste survey, Rs 2,000 every month for women, gas cylinders at Rs 500, and Rs 6,000 old-age pension, among others promises to address the concerns and aspirations of youth, farmers and women.
In its manifesto, the Congress is also promising two lakh jobs after formulating a recruitment calendar, increasing unemployment allowances and the establishment of a Haryana Foreign Employment Board. The promise for a foreign employment board comes against the backdrop of Rahul's interaction with Haryanvi youth who illegally entered the US for jobs.
Rahul had attacked the BJP government, asserting there is no future for youth in Haryana at the moment, He said that youth from the state were willing to spend Rs 35-50 lakh by selling land or taking loans to find jobs by illegally entering the US, but not invest it in the state.
In a bid to woo women voters, Congress has promised restructuring the Women's Commission and given statutory and administrative powers to function effectively. Under the Indira Ladli Behan Samman Yojana, Congress promises, women aged 18 to 60 years will receive Rs 2,000 per month. Another promise relates to a rise in wages for Anganwadi workers, helpers, ASHA workers and mid-day meal workers.
With farmers being a core vote base, Congress has promised a Farmers' Commission will be formed and special provisions will be introduced for women farmers. It also vowed to take efforts to strongly implement the Supreme Court’s decision in Haryana's favour regarding the SYL canal.
A university in the name of Shri Guru Gobind Singh, a university in Mewat, and women's colleges in each Assembly constituency are also among the promises.