The BJP on Tuesday launched its manifesto for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election – to begin in less than 48 hours – with a long list of ‘freebies’ for voters, including the promise of free electricity (for irrigation) for farmers and jobs or self-employment opportunities to at least one member of each family.
The release of the manifesto – the ‘Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra’ – had been postponed as a mark of respect to iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar, who died Sunday at the age of 92.
Launched today by Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the manifesto also promises two free LPG cylinders (one each on Holi and Diwali) under the Ujjwala Yojana scheme, free public transport travel for women over 60, and free two-wheelers for female college students.
The BJP on Tuesday promised 10-year punishment and Rs 1 lakh fine for those indulging in ‘love jihad’ if it returns to power in Uttar Pradesh.
In 2017, the BJP promised a Rs 50,000-bond for a poor family on the birth of a girl child. Cash transfers were promised, ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 to her bank account on reaching Class 6, 8, 10 and 12. When she turned 21, she would be given Rs 2 lakh.
Now, the BJP has promised a free scooty to college-going female students, 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.
In 2017, the BJP promised to waive off all farmer loans. It said the farmers would be eligible for loans with zero per cent interest. This time, the BJP promised free electricity for farmers.
In 2017, the BJP promised sugarcane farmers payment within 14 days of selling their crops. Curiously, the same promise features in the 2022 Sankalp Patra as well.
Additionally, the BJP has promised a Rs 5,000 crore irrigation scheme and Rs 1,000 crore for payment under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime towards crops like potato, tomato and onion. In 2017, the BJP promised to set up a Rs 20,000 crore CM irrigation fund.
If Love Jihad has made its way to the 2022 election manifesto of the BJP, it was “anti-Romeo squads” in 2017 that appeared in the Sankalp Patra to promote a “Sashakt Naari, Samaan Adhikaar” agenda. The idea was to set up special teams at police station levels to tackle the incidents of eve-teasing.
However, before going into the polls, some BJP leaders told public rallies that anti-Romeo squads were linked to the party campaign against Love Jihad. After the BJP was voted to power, the government set up anti-Romeo squads in 2017 and also brought an anti-conversion law in 2020 that regulated religious conversion through marriage.
In 2017, the BJP promised 70 lakh jobs and self-employment opportunities over the next five years and free laptops with one GB monthly data for students.
For the 2022 assembly polls, 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, doubling the MBBS seats and recruitment of 6,000 doctors and 10,000 para-medical staff.
In both manifestos, the BJP promised to fulfill vacancies in the government departments.
CM Yogi Adityanath held a meeting of top government officials to review the status of the 2017 poll promises. Reports quoted an official spokesperson as saying, “Yes, the chief minister reviewed the promises made in the Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra-2017. We will come out with details soon. About 99 per cent of the promises made in Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra-2017 have been already fulfilled.”
The Opposition, however, accused the BJP of not fulfilling the promises made to the voters of Uttar Pradesh particularly over employment, betterment of farmers, and safety of women.
However, the BJP draws confidence from two of its core promises that were fulfilled through the Supreme Court judgments. In 2017, the BJP manifesto talked about presenting the instant triple talaq case in a stronger way to get a favourable judgment. On the Ram Mandir issue, it said the party would expedite the legal process for the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. The BJP goes to the Uttar Pradesh polls with both these promises fulfilled.
