New Delhi: The Gujarat Congress has promised to investigate all corruption cases in the state in the last 27 years — including from the time when Narendra Modi was chief minister of the state — if it comes to power in the state.
In its election manifesto released Saturday, the Congress has promised to investigate corruption cases in the state starting 1995 — the year the BJP came to power in Gujarat.
Called ‘Janta Ni Sarkar’ (people’s government), the manifesto also makes several social welfare promises, such as free healthcare, reservation for women in jobs, and free electricity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Gujarat’s chief minister from 2001 to 2014.
Also among the party’s various promises is changing the name of the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad to back to Sardar Patel Stadium. Earlier called the Sardar Patel Stadium, the famous cricketing venue was renamed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021.
Releasing the manifesto, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress’s senior observer for the Gujarat elections, said it will be adopted as an official document in the first cabinet meeting if the Congress is voted to power in the state.
The vision document centres around eight promises made by Rahul Gandhi to the people of Gujarat, Gehlot said.
Elections to Gujarat’s 182-member Assembly will be held in two phases on 1 and 5 December. Votes will be counted on 8 December.
In its public statements, the Congress has said it was eyeing 125 seats in what is turning out to be a triangular contest between the ruling BJP, the Congress, and the Aam Aam Party.
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Healthcare, electricity, reservation for women in jobs
In a bid to stop the “mindless privatisation of healthcare”, the Congress has promised free healthcare up to Rs 10 lakh and free medicines
It has also promised monetary compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Congress claims 3 lakh people died in Gujarat because of the Covid pandemic — a claim that the BJP has so far denied.
In its manifesto, the Congress has promised to create 10 lakh jobs in the state, out of which 50 per cent will be reserved for women.
Among its other promises are the waiver of farm loans up to Rs 3 lakh and the provision of subsidised gas cylinders at the rate of Rs 500 a cylinder.
It has also two promises similar to the ones it made in Himachal Pradesh — the other state that’s seeing assembly elections: reinstating the Old Pension Scheme, which was discontinued on 1 April 2004, and free electricity for up to 300 units.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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