‘If Congress comes to power, promises made in the manifesto can be fulfilled within a month of government formation’.
Buoyed by the success in Karnataka, the Congress is seeking to build a narrative of the southern state’s model of development before the Assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and that is the reason that it has implemented the promises made during elections within a month of coming to power.
The party wants to showcase the model and in order to do that the party announced to implement the promises which were made during the run up to the assembly elections held last month, a senior party functionary said.
In the run-up to the elections, the party had promised to provide free electricity up to 200 units, Rs 2000 to head woman of both BPL and APL families, increase in food grain to 10 kg and free travel for women from all classes in buses and Rs 3,000 allowance per month for unemployed youth with a graduate degree, and Rs 1,500 allowance for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18 to 25) under the Yuva Nidhi scheme. Announcing implementation of the manifesto promises on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government has taken utmost care to avoid misuse of the facilities being extended and the misuse of funds while implementing the 5 guarantee schemes for the benefit of the poor and the middle class.
Sources said now the party would start promoting the narrative that if the Congress government comes to power, promises made in the manifesto can be fulfilled within a month of government formation. ‘’Now it would be easier to convince the people that the schemes can be implemented within a month and the same can be replicated in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as well if the party is voted to power,’’ a source said.
According to the sources, the appointment of Congress’s Karnataka poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu as Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and according him cabinet rank status is also part of a larger strategy aimed at Assembly elections in the two mentioned states.
“Till now, BJP used to talk about its model of development, now Congress will boast of its model of governance and swiftness of fulfillment of promises made during the elections. There could be a second leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra during which the party can mention achievements of its governments in the states,’’ another party leader said.
The Congress had registered a convincing victory and crossed the majority mark defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Assembly elections held last month. Janata Dal, which was aspiring to be a kingmaker post elections, came third. Besides other factors, the five guarantees were seen as the causes which catapulted the grand old party to victory.