BJP terms Congress manifesto a ‘bundle of lies’, says old promises not met

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi added that inflation has been lowest and growth rate highest under BJP rule except during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Congress’s manifesto, named the ‘Nyay Patra’, focuses on on work, welfare and wealth. The party has made promises to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, give legal guarantee to MSP, among others.

The manifesto, however, does not mention the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which has been a cornerstone of the party’s campaigns in recent Assembly elections. When asked about OPS being missed out of Congress manifesto, Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram said, “It’s not missing. But the developments taken place in the last two or three months need to be considered. The government has appointed a committee headed by Finance Secretary to review NPS and OPS and find a way in which objectives of OPS can be funded by a pension scheme. Unless, we receive the report from the committee, it will be immature to act on it.”

The Congress party has also promised to give 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for EWS, bringing new right to apprenticeship act granting apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below the age of 25. For urban poor, the party has promised an urban employment programme guaranteering work in reconstruction, renewal of urban infrastructure.