Hours before the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh campaign ended, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the UP polls. This ‘Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra’ focused on the comparison between the promises made by the party in the last elections and how many of those promises have been full filled.
The party claimed that they fulfilled their promise on ‘Triple Talaq law’ and the construction of Ram Mandir. Apart from this, the recent manifesto has made a bunch of promises regarding, development, employment, youth, love jihad, etc.
One of the most controversial laws which made headlines was a law on ‘Love Jihad’ by the Yogi government. Now in this recent manifesto, the BJP government has promised more stringency towards the Love Jihad law. It has also promised 10-year jail and Rs 1 lakh penalty to those found guilty under the law against what is called Love Jihad luring women or girls to marriage for religious conversion.
Talking about women, this manifesto promised the UP women, a free Scooty to college-going female students. Also two additional cylinders of LPG to women on Holi and Diwali, Rs 1 lakh to a poor family on the wedding of their daughters, Rs 1,500 monthly pension to widows and destitute women.
Other than these issues, this manifesto has promised to solve the two most burning issues concerning the employment of youth and farmers in this state.
For students, the BJP has promised at least one employment per family, free coaching for competitive exams, 2 crore smartphones and tablets, gym and sporting grounds in every gram panchayat. They have also promised to double the MBBS seats and additional recruitment of 6,000 doctors and 10,000 para-medical staff.
Farmers, who are being considered as a key demographic in this election, are given extra focus and care. To placate the farmers after the farm law debacle, especially those of Western UP, who hold considerable clout, the BJP has promised a Rs 5,000 crore irrigation scheme and Rs 1,000 crore for payment under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme towards crops like potato, tomato and onion. The manifesto also promises free electricity for farmers and payment within 14 days of selling their crops to the sugarcane farmers.
The first phase of the election campaign ended on Tuesday and now on Thursday the voting for the first phase will begin for the upcoming UP polls.
