Two days after the Left Front announced its poll manifesto for the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, alliance partner Congress released its manifesto comprising 20 pledges Sunday. Speaking to reporters at the Pradesh Congress Bhawan in Agartala, senior Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman said his party finalised the manifesto called ‘20 Dofa Ghoshona Potro’ (20-point charter) after considering the problems faced by the people of the state. Taking pot-shots at the ruling BJP, Roy Barman said: “We are not a jumla party. We have tried to send a message to the people through our manifesto that the Congress means development… We have finalised these promises after a lot of consideration and we appeal to people to come forward, vote for the Congress and the Left Front and save the democratic and Constitutional rights of citizens.” While the Left Front manifesto included 81 poll promises, the Congress limited its poll pledges to just 20. The Congress is contesting 13 seats in the state this time. The grand old party has listed strict action on crime against women as its first poll pledge, followed by promises like strengthening the Lokayukta Act, promotion of medical tourism, providing free treatment to the poor in public hospitals, free electricity till 1,650 units to prevent power theft and transmission loss, Rs 50,000 special marriage assistance for daughters of families below the poverty level, and free education for girl students from kindergarten (KG) to post-graduate (PG) level, among others. In an apparent attempt to woo different Hindu sects and hurt the BJP’s core support base, the Congress has also promised to facilitate pilgrimage for devotees to destinations like Gaya, Kashi, Vrindavan, Mathura, and Anukulchandra ashram in Deoghar. Among other key poll promises, the Congress said it would raise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy from Rs 2,040 to Rs 2,500 per quintal. It also said a war would be waged against drugs, a “practical solution” would be initiated for 10,323 retrenched school teachers, a consolidated package would be announced for the welfare of minorities, and vacant posts in different government departments would be filled up. On the crucial tribal welfare front, the Congress said it would take initiative to pass the 125th amendment of the Constitution in Parliament and announce a special package for tribal development. The party has also promised safeguards for small depositors and assured them that lost money would be recovered by selling properties of chit-fund companies attached by the state government. A subsidy of Rs 500 for every LPG cylinder up to six cylinders annually has been promised to poor families. The Congress has also pledged to reintroduce the old pension scheme, regularise fixed-pay workers within two years, and raise the limit of medical reimbursement for government Group-D employees, among others. Asked how the seat-sharing with the Left Front is working out on the ground so far, Roy Barman said people are showing tremendous enthusiasm. Notably, the polls for the 60-member Tripura Assembly will be conducted in a single phase on February 16. The counting of votes will be held on March 2.
