In the sphere of public discourse, the Congress party asserts that the recent outreach by former leader Rahul Gandhi, soliciting input on the party’s parliamentary election manifesto, has garnered significant traction on social media platforms, indicative of widespread engagement with the document among the populace. As per internal sources within the party, a mere day subsequent to Rahul Gandhi’s dissemination of a concise video clip via the social media conduit Instagram, urging individuals to furnish their perspectives and recommendations regarding the manifesto, there ensued a staggering 2.4 crore views solely on Instagram, coupled with over 25 crore views across diverse social media platforms, alongside in excess of one lakh suggestions and feedback, in addition to over 3,000 comprehensive electronic missives directed towards the erstwhile Congress luminary.
“This phenomenon attests to the prevalent discourse surrounding the manifesto,” remarked a distinguished functionary within the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Unveiling the manifesto on April 5, Rahul emphasized that the document epitomized the collective sentiment of the majority, proffering a strategic roadmap for the nation’s future, and proffering redressal for multifarious predicaments engendered during the preceding decade under the Modi administration, notably encompassing unemployment and the soaring cost of essential commodities.
Fundamentally, the party’s manifesto for 2024 constitutes an extension and amplification of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay ideology, wherein the party pledged to furnish Rs 72,000 annually directly into the coffers of impoverished citizens during the 2019 national elections. The Nyay initiative was conceived subsequent to deliberations with eminent scholars such as Prof Abhijit Banerjee and former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, and held the potential to recalibrate the electoral landscape during the prior Lok Sabha polls.
However, the party found itself unable to effectively elucidate the intricacies of the concept to the electorate, thereby accounting for its muted impact during the 2019 national elections. Additionally, the party disproportionately relied on the contentious Rafale fighter aircraft deal, a gambit that failed to resonate with voters, as per party insiders.
Presently, the party’s strategists evince a resolute determination to eschew the pitfalls of yesteryears and have devised comprehensive strategies to amplify the reach of the 2024 manifesto. As part of this stratagem, directives have been issued to all state units to embark upon a door-to-door campaign to disseminate guarantee cards to approximately eight crore households nationwide, while press briefings in approximately 25 pivotal urban centers have been scheduled for April 10 and 11, aimed at further propagating the salient points of the manifesto.
