10 free LPG cylinders, 5 kg ration, no CAA: Trinamool’s Lok Sabha polls promise

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (file photo).

Kolkata:

The Trinamool Congress party on Wednesday night released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and vowed – as the Congress, DMK and other members of India’s opposition bloc have done – if the citizenship law defeats Narendra Modi The Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Di, will repeal the changes to the citizenship law.

Despite the failure of seat-sharing talks with the Congress-led bloc, Bangladesh’s ruling party is still considered part of India and has made other major promises, including providing 10 free LPG units a year to families below the poverty line ( cooking gas) bottles and provide free Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to 5 households. Kilograms of free ration (rice, wheat and cereals) per month.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party has also vowed to support farmers amid the MSP (minimum support price) dispute, which led to a months-long tussle between protesting farmers and the Center in 2020 Confrontations, which included a blockade around Delhi and triggered protests in the second round of elections this year.

Trinamool said the price will be fixed based on the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee and will be “at least 50 per cent higher than the average cost of production”.

Prices of petrol and diesel will be “limited to affordable levels” and a price stabilization fund will be set up to deal with future fluctuations in volatile international markets.

The Trinamool has also promised 100 days of job security to all job card holders and all registered workers across the country will now receive a daily salary of Rs 400.

It has also reached out to students, promising to triple the number of higher education scholarships for marginalized (Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Tribes) communities.

For the elderly (over 60 years old), existing pension schemes will be overhauled. They will now get Rs 1,000 per month. “Dignified housing” for poor families across the country is guaranteed.

Ms Banerjee said this would provide a “safe and secure home” for all.

“These are the commitments that we, as part of the India Group, will deliver on when we form the next government,” outgoing House of Commons MP Derek O’Brien said at the launch ceremony in Kolkata.

The manifesto came as Mamata Banerjee took a swipe at the BJP while campaigning for her party’s candidate in Silchar, Assam. Ms Banerjee, a fierce critic of the saffron party, issued a chilling warning to voters everywhere, saying: “This election is going to be terrible…”

Read | ‘Do you think the Prime Minister will give you justice?’ Mamata Banerjee in Assam

The Trinamool manifesto follows those of its allies, the ruling DMK and Congress parties in Tamil Nadu, and the CPI(M), which has made headlines for vowing to dismantle India’s nuclear weapons.

Read | No Citizenship Amendment Act, Uniform Civil Code: DMK manifesto

The CPI(M)’s promise triggered opposition from Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who said the Left party was toying with national security and claimed it was a “deep-rooted conspiracy” against the country.

Read | Communist Party of India (M) manifesto promises to dismantle India’s nuclear weapons

The BJP released its manifesto last week.

Read | BJP issues ‘Modiji assurance’ manifesto, Congress calls it apology

The document highlights Mr Modi’s focus on the poor, young men and women, farmers and women, all seen as key vote banks for the saffron party. He said the focus of the declaration was “dignity (and) quality of life” and “quantity (and) quality of opportunities”.

The Congress issued a manifesto on April 5, like the Trinamool, saying it would withdraw changes to the Citizenship Amendment Act and ensure legal backing for farmers’ MSP demand.

Read | Congress’ 2024 manifesto focuses on jobs, vows to conduct caste census

Crucially, the party also said it would order a national caste survey, one of the biggest talking points of this election and one that has been the case since Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar – his J.P. Nata Dal (United Party) was the leader of India before jumping ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which ordered an inquiry last year.

The Congress manifesto drew stinging responses from the Prime Minister and senior BJP leaders, who described it as “the mark of the Muslim League”. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit back, accusing Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of “spreading lies”.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will begin on Friday and last till June 1. Voting will be held in seven phases. Final results will be announced on June 4. In the 2019 elections, Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool won 22 of the state’s 42 seats. The BJP won 18 seats and the Congress won two others.

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