Kolkata, Feb 7 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday launched ‘Viksit Bengal Sankalpa Patra’ suggestion-collection campaign, inviting public inputs to draft a manifesto for the upcoming assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said the party wanted to break away from the traditional practice of drafting election manifestos behind closed doors.
“In West Bengal’s politics, manifestos were often prepared at the last moment by a few people within the party,” Bhattacharya said.
He asserted that the BJP’s objective is to form a government that truly represents the state.
Under the outreach programme, which will continue till February 18, the BJP will place around 1,000 drop boxes across 43 organisational districts to collect public feedback. Mobile vans will also be used.
A toll-free number — 9727 294 294 — has also been launched for citizens to record their suggestions, while inputs can also be sent through email, WhatsApp and QR codes.
The party is also sending letters to around 10,000 eminent personalities from various fields, seeking their views for the proposed resolution document.
Bhattacharya said inputs were being invited from unorganised workers, farmers, professionals, unemployed youths, industrialists and startups with a focus on making West Bengal an investment-friendly state.
Criticising the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bhattacharya alleged that the state government had chosen “conflict over coordination” with the Centre for the past 15 years, depriving people of benefits under several central welfare schemes.
“Because of this confrontational approach, the poor were denied benefits of schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Vishwakarma Yojana and e-Shram,” he alleged.
The BJP leader also said that while neighbouring states such as Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar were moving ahead through infrastructure and freight corridor development, West Bengal was lagging behind due to political opposition to central initiatives.
The final ‘Sankalpa Patra’ or manifesto is expected to be ready by the end of February, he added. PTI BSM ACD
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.