Lok Sabha Polls: BJP’s Sankalp Patra - full of promises, but will it gain voters' trust?

BJP’s manifesto give us a review of its past achievements and making new promises.

One may or may not take a political party’s manifesto seriously, but the issues which are highlighted give a hint of how well a party understands the issue on the ground or at least knows how well to send out the message of their connect with the real issues and how party makes its commitment to address those issues.

It was evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address when he said, “the Sankalp Patra (as BJP refers to its manifesto), reflects the aspiration of the people which is a mission for Modi”.  The BJP’s manifesto released on April 14 on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, give us a hint of how the party has been able to send out the message of its past achievements and making promises which may seem attractive to the people.

The BJP managed to touch upon the larger issues of the common man in their daily life, making the party’s concern for the common man very clear. From various promises made in the Sankalp Patra, the party also managed to send out a message to different sections of society, women, young and elderly, farmers, Adivasi and the middle class.

In various ways it also referred to concern for the well-being of auto walla, taxi walla and truck drivers. The promises may be taller than what the party could be able to fulfill or achieve, but what this manifesto does is certainly give out a message that the party recognizes the concern of the common people.

I am not sure how many suggestions the BJP received and took into account of the common citizens, while preparing their Sankalp Patra as party had asked for, but handing out their Sankalp Patra to few citizens who had benefitted from the past schemes of the government as the party claimed, seems to be reaffirming the faith among the people of BJP’s connect with the common man. The manifesto mentions about party’s commitment for fulfilling the bigger issues like One Nation One Election or Uniform Civil Code, and at the same times shows party’s concerns for the farmers, fishermen etc. The message which is being sent out is that the party leaders even understand the nitty gritty of farming and they don’t relate farming just with growing sugarcane, wheat, rice and pulses, which farming is generally related to in a large part of India.

The Sankalp Patra promises to extend the Aayushman Bharat schemes to all Indians above the age of 70, addressing the needs of the elderly. It also promises to increase the loan for start-ups from Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 20 lakhs. There are various references to the welfare of women, but through spelling out its scheme to promote tourism and home stay, it tried to send out the message of prospects of economic well-being of the housewives, and auto and taxi drivers.

BJP is working hard to garner praise and to help the Tamil language as mentioned in the BJP’s Sankalp Patra. The prime minister has made several visits to Tamil Nadu, and it indicates the party’s strategy for expansion in the Southern states. The BJP knows that after having peaked in North India, it now aims to expand in the South. Last but not the least, the mention about stern action on corrupt leaders and parties involved in corruption, not only to continue but to become more aggressive is an indication of prime minister’s fight to make corruption a big issue for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

(Sanjay Kumar is a Professor at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). He is also a Political Analyst. He is on X (formerly Twitter): @sanjaycsds.)

Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.