Congress discloses major components of election manifesto

Refugees, equitable development and Food Security top agendas   

P S Bali

Jammu, Nov 19: Congress has decided to make implementation of Food Security Act in Jammu and Kashmir as main election plank in its manifesto, which the party is going to release shortly.

Talking to reporters, here Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress chief campaigner in J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that Good governance, Transparency, better work culture, food security, refugees settlement, empowering PRIs and eradication of corruption from the state will be important components of the election manifesto.

He said that like 2002 and 2008,  Congress has kept all ‘pro-people agendas in its manifesto’.

“Last year Sonia Gandhi raised the issue of introducing Food security bill to provide economical food grains among the poor population of the country. On similar lines, we have kept food security as an important plank of our election manifesto, which would be to provide food to all,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad, he added that the other important component of manifesto would be to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

“Within one year after coming in power, Congress has pledged to strengthen PRIs at Panchayat and district level. We have also vowed to empower local saprances and panches to develop rural areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, taking a dig at other political parties of creating ‘confusion’ among masses, Azad said that few political parties are ‘riding horse in the air’, while as ‘BJP is riding Missile’ by making false promises to befool people.

He said, “We are very much confident to achieve more seats as compared to previous assembly elections, as we don’t compromise with our policies and set goals.” He added that NC-PDP is polarizing in Kashmir, whereas BJP is doing same in Jammu by dividing people on the name of region and religion.

He said RSS is active in the state, especially Chenab Valley and are disturbing the secular fabric of the region.

“My this visit to Chenab valley was altogether different, as in my long political career, I never found a Hindu and a Muslim, but a human being,” he said adding that due to ‘divisive’  politics of  BJP the people are referring each other with religion, which is unfortunate, Azad added.

He said the reach of NC and PDP is only up to Jawahar Tunnel, whereas Congress is the only party to confront BJP. “Going by the previous record of the regional parties, they can incline to any national party without concerning about its ideology, but Congress is the only party which cannot form coalition with BJP at any cost,” Azad said.

He lambasted BJP for conducting bogus surveys in the cities and said that conducting survey with just 9 percent of the people is hoodwinking masses. “Major 91% of the rural population is left untouched by these surveys of the BJP,” said he.