In the forthcoming rendezvous of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party shall engage in deliberation upon the manifesto intended for the Lok Sabha elections, thereby imparting its definitive contours. This endeavor is underpinned by a robust emphasis on ‘social equity,’ a cornerstone articulated by party luminary Rahul Gandhi during his recent Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, alongside other pivotal themes.
Foremost among the elements earmarked for inclusion in the Congress manifesto for the impending Lok Sabha polls is the infusion of erstwhile party head Rahul Gandhi’s discourse on social equity, meticulously cultivated during his recently concluded Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Insiders privy to the party’s internal discourse suggest that the manifesto is poised to proffer a legislative remedy aimed at fostering transparency in governmental recruitment processes, thereby redressing the scourge of exam paper leaks. Additionally, an unequivocal commitment to gradually fill all extant governmental vacancies is anticipated should the INDIA alliance ascend to power.
Furthermore, the manifesto is poised to pledge statutory protection of Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to assuage the apprehensions of agrarians and ensure their equitable treatment. Subsequently, a reduction in General Sales Tax (GST) on vital agricultural machinery and inputs may be contemplated to alleviate the burdens faced by food cultivators.
In alignment with its focal thrust on rural employment, the party is poised to pledge augmented allocations for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Concomitantly, the party has consistently reproached the central government for its purported negligence of the rural employment initiative inaugurated during the preceding UPA regime. Moreover, echoing Rahul Gandhi’s assertions regarding the pivotal role played by small and medium enterprises in generating substantial employment opportunities, provisions for accessible credit facilities may be extended to this segment.
The convener of the committee and former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, TS Singh Deo, alluded to the likelihood that the manifesto will encapsulate the quintessential ethos associated with the Congress party, unmistakably reflecting the tenets of ‘Rahul Gandhi’s social justice agenda’.
“The quintessence of the manifesto is anticipated to be an ardent focus on the youth, in consonance with Rahul Gandhi’s emphasis,” remarked Singhdeo.
On March 5, the party’s manifesto committee, helmed by former finance minister P Chidambaram, finalized the blueprint and tendered it for the endorsement of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh intimated that the CWC is expected to accord its sanction to the draft manifesto, which espouses the five ‘assurances’ pertaining to justice.
The involvement of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, and Congress stalwarts Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in this endeavor underscores its collective gravitas. According to Chidambaram, the party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls is envisioned as a ‘manifesto of the masses’, with inputs solicited through public consultations led by party luminaries, in addition to submissions received via electronic correspondence channels.