BJP yet to fulfil promises made to people of Himachal: Congress

The Congress on Monday challenged the BJP to spell out the promises it has fulfilled instead of making fresh ones ahead of the Himachal Pradesh polls, and said it should seek votes from people based on its report card and not on its manifesto.

The remarks by the party came a day after BJP president J P Nadda released the party's manifesto for the November 12 Assembly polls in which he promised Uniform Civil Code (UCC), 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs and educational institutions, and sops for different segments.

Targeting the BJP, AICC joint secretary in-charge of Youth Congress Krishna Allavaru told reporters at a press conference here, "We want to challenge the BJP on behalf of the people of Himachal Pradesh. They should seek vote not on their manifesto but on their report card".

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He said the youth of Himachal Pradesh should ask the BJP why it did nothing for them in the last five years and instead brought the Agniveer scheme in the armed forces which the youth is "not accepting".

In 2017, the BJP gave big assurances of giving lakhs of jobs to every household, he noted.

The BJP has failed to provide jobs to youth in the last five years but has taken away jobs of 14 lakh youth, he charged.

In the last five years, the BJP has kept 63,000 vacant posts in the state, he said.

"Even today, Delhi BJP leaders say they will stop drug menace in the state, but they should tell the people that they have failed in stopping the drug menace in Himachal," he said.

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"If they have the guts, the BJP should look into the eyes of the youth and tell them what they did for them," Allavaru said, alleging that it neither filled vacant posts nor provided good education.

The Congress leader said the BJP has no right to come out with the 2022 manifesto as it has failed on all fronts.

"People of the state are fed up with the BJP's 'jumlas'," he said while claiming that the Congress in Himachal has fulfilled all its promises and makes well-thought out promises.

The Congress will provide one lakh government jobs to the youth of the country and set up a start-up fund of Rs 10 crore in every constituency totalling Rs 680 crore, he said spelling out its poll manifesto.

The Congress is wooing youth with five lakh jobs in the next five years and promised women that they would get Rs 1500 per month.

HP Youth Congress in-charge Amanpreet Lally took on Home Minister Amit Shah for his promise of setting up an anti-drug control bureau, asking what action the BJP took against the drug mafia and how much drugs were seized in Himachal Pradesh.

"If you have not done it till now, what will you do in the next five years," he asked.

Himachal Youth Congress president Nigam Bhandari said the Congress has promised to set up an Anti-Drug Abuse Enforcement Authority under a high court judge and stern steps against prevalence of drugs in the state, which he alleged are coming from ports run by Adani.