Madhya Pradesh Assembly Polls 2018: Congress promises jobs, farm loan waiver and gaushalas

Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Madhya Pradesh

Sensing an opportunity to knock the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power after 15 years in Madhya Pradesh, the Indian National Congress has been conducting a fiery campaign in the state.

The state will vote in a single phase on November 28. The counting will take place on December 11 along with Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Opinion polls predict that the contest between BJP and Congress could be close and that there exists a tide of anti-incumbency sentiment on the ground.

Political analysts also suggest that the election will be decided on one factor — if people vote in favour of or against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has been at the helm of affairs for 13 out of the 15 years.

Chouhan’s long tenure is explained by his government having rolled out several schemes and projects that have been received well by the public.

To counter this, Congress has been on an overdrive, promising schemes, especially targeted at the youth, unemployed, voters from lower income groups and farmers. Around 44 percent of the state’s population is under the age of 18 years, making them the prime target of political parties.

Also read: Key trends from the state’s binary politics

Over the last few months, Congress’ top brass, including party President Rahul Gandhi has visited the central Indian state. Congress has, however, not released its election manifesto yet.

The party has promised jobs, income support for farmers, farm loan waiver and bank credit for entrepreneurs.

Besides these, Congress has also promised a number of projects on the religious lines to counter the ruling party. A ‘Ram path’ religious circuit and setting up of gaushalas are some of those promises. It has however denied using ‘soft Hindutva’ to garner votes.

Also read: Key factors likely to impact the election

Jobs

Gandhi has consistently hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of unemployment and assured youngsters that his party alone can create jobs for them.

"We brought green revolution, white revolution, computer revolution. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have made false promises," he said.

"I can assure (you) with full confidence that the Congress alone will generate employment for the youth. We don't lie. If we come to power, we are going to provide employment," he added.

Farm loan waiver

In June, addressing a rally in Mandsaur — the epicentre of farmer agitation in the state — Gandhi promised a farm loan waiver within 10 days of his party coming to power in Madhya Pradesh.

Farmers in the state have been demanding a waiver of loans. In June, farmers held a 10-day stir led by the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh.

CM Chouhan had earlier categorically ruled out a farm loan waiver. Instead, he said farmers would get a fair price for their produce. In an interview to The Economic Times, Chouhan claimed that under the Chief Minister’s Farmers’ Welfare Project (Mukhya Mantri Krishi Samriddhi Yojna), the state government had given Rs 265 per quintal to farmers for their produce, on top of the minimum support price (MSP).

Income support for farmers

The party is also considering granting direct income support for farmers and weaker sections of society, if it gets elected. Direct income support could add a certain extent of income security to rural households.

A person aware of the development had told Mint in August, “Currently the party is discussing proposals to provide farm households an amount of Rs 3,000 per month per family which can take care of critical household expenses like education and healthcare at a time when incomes are uncertain.”

“The promised income support is likely to be over and above a promised waiver of crop loans,” the person added.

Prohibition of Alcohol

The party is also planning to implement prohibition of alcohol in the state if elected to power, according to a report by Deccan Herald.

Congress’s vision document committee is likely to promise total prohibition in its manifesto, in a bid to attract female voters. Women make up 48 percent of the state’s population, according to the 2011 census data.

Also read: A look at how various regions voted in 2013

Gaushalas

In September, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Kamal Nath said the party would build gaushalas (protective shelters for cows) in every panchayat of the state. There are 23,006 panchayats in the state.

The announcement from Nath assumes significance as he is being seen as one of the leading contenders for the chief minister’s position.

In a tweet, Nath said, “Pradesh ki har panchayat mein 'gaushala' banayenge. Ye ghoshna nahi, vachan hai (We will build a gaushalas in every panchayat. This is a promise, not an announcement).”

According to a report by The Week, speaking at a rally on September 2, Nath had slammed BJP's approach towards cow protection, alleging that the condition of gaushalas in the state was pathetic, despite the saffron party's publicly-stated commitment to cow protection.

The party had also started the ‘Ram Van Gaman Path Yatra’ along the mythical route taken by Lord Rama on his way to the 14-year exile.

The yatra was, however, stopped by the Election Commission (EC) following complaints from the BJP that the “religious yatra” could be used for political gains even as the model code of conduct was in place.

With an eye on 2019

For over a year, Gandhi has been criticising Centre’s implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

During a public address in Madhya Pradesh’s Dabra, Gandhi lambasted the present multi-slab GST, saying it has "ruined" the small shopkeepers in the country.

Gandhi said a one-slab GST would be implemented if his party is elected to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"How much money did this Gabbar Singh Tax take away from your pockets? After this meeting, you should go to a small shopkeeper and ask him whether the GST benefited him or resulted in a loss," Gandhi said at the public meeting.

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