New Delhi:

As the high-decibel campaign for the Lok Sabha polls unfolds, a raft of promises and assurances from various political parties will compete and conflict with each other. Here are 10 key issues that are likely to be at the center of discussions in the seven-phase election starting on April 19:

“Modiji Guarantee”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident that he will serve a third consecutive term and has made the “Modiji Pledge” a theme of his campaign. As described on the Prime Minister’s website, the “Modiji Pledge” is a guarantee for youth development, women’s empowerment, farmers’ welfare and all marginalized and vulnerable groups who have been neglected for decades.

The idea also relates to the government’s goal of ensuring saturation of all welfare schemes. This is likely to be the “buzzword” of this election and the center of much of the war of words between rivals.

Congress’s Nye Guarantee

This great old party found some magic in the state elections in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana when it gave assurances to the people and achieved electoral success. In the Lok Sabha polls, the party proposed five ‘Nyay’ guarantees aimed at ensuring justice for youth, farmers, women, workers and participatory justice.

The ‘Nyay’ assurance has been given to the people during the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Mumbai. The Congress manifesto is likely to be framed around these assurances and the party will design its campaign around them. Whether this will lead to an electoral resurgence of the party remains to be seen.

Unemployment and rising prices

The Indian bloc, including the Congress party, has been raising issues of unemployment and rising prices of basic commodities. They have repeatedly said a lack of jobs is the biggest problem and have tried to corner the government on the issue. The BJP has fought back, citing job growth and rapid economic growth. The polling season will witness fierce debate around these important issues.

CAA, repeal of Section 370

These are part of the BJP’s long-term commitment to the people. The BJP has and will continue to project its achievements in the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The party government also passed a law on a Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand as a precursor to its goal of enacting such laws across the country. The Modi government plans to take these actions to show that it believes in the credo of “walking the talk”. The opposition has blasted the moves as an attempt to create, divide and impose unity. Debates over these issues are likely to become more acute and heated during polling season.

ram mandir

On January 22, the BJP celebrated the consecration ceremony of Rama Temple in Ayodhya with great enthusiasm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the ceremony, with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the forefront during the ceremony, the symbolism of which was not lost sight of. The BJP leader praised the Prime Minister for realizing a centuries-old dream.

Saffron flags were flown in most parts of the Hindi belt to mark the occasion and the impact was felt by everyone. Even opposition leaders admit that the Ram temple gives the BJP an edge in northern India. Analysts believe that the BJP’s confidence in gaining at least 370 seats largely stems from this “Ram Temple wave.”

Electoral Bond Data

The Electoral Commission has made public the data on electoral bonds. Congress has asked the Supreme Court to launch a high-level inquiry into the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and freeze its bank accounts over alleged corruption in the electoral bonds scheme.

The issue has been in the spotlight in the run-up to the vote and the opposition has seized on the opportunity, but whether it will play out at the grassroots level remains to be seen. However, it will certainly be one of the talking points during the campaign.

“Amrit Khar” relatively “Annai Carr”

Another likely recurring campaign theme during the polling season is the BJP’s claim that Modi’s policies have ensured good governance, fast-paced growth and a vision for the future.

The Congress, on the other hand, has termed the decade of the Modi government as “anyay kaal” (era of injustice), marked by “job losses, rising prices, capture of institutions, attacks on the Constitution and growing economic inequality”.

While the opposition India bloc is likely to highlight the government’s “failures”, claiming the past decade was more show than substance, the BJP will counter with arguments such as pandemic response, poverty reduction, free ration schemes and more. Measures to provide welfare to the poor.

Farmers issues, minimum support price

Ahead of the polls, farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders is also likely to dominate discussions with the opposition, which claims farmers have been “betrayed” by the government and has promised legal guarantees for minimum support prices if its group comes to power.

BJP leaders have been holding talks with farmer leaders to allay their concerns and claimed that many of the agitators were politically motivated. The government also highlighted that its PM-KISAN scheme assistance has transformed the lives of farmers. As with most elections, farmer issues are central to the discussion.

ideological conflict

The election also marks a critical stage in what many call an “ideological war” between the BJP and the Congress. Both sides would present their ideological principles to the people and ask them to choose one.

“Viksit Bharat” Vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed that the country aims to become a developed country. He said his government’s actions were committed to achieving this goal by 2047. The vision of a “Viksit Bharat” is likely to dominate the BJP’s campaign, with the opposition calling it “another Jumla”. Yet it remained a dominant theme on the campaign trail.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)