Picture : ANI / X
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched Maha Vikas Aghadi’s manifesto for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and party general secretary KC Venugopal were also present on the occasion besides Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.
Unveiling the manifesto, Kharge remarked that it is important to defeat the Mahayuti government in the state and support MVA for stability and good governance.
The Congress chief listed five pillars included in the manifesto for the progress and development of Maharashtra. “…We have five pillars for the progress and development of Maharashtra based on farming and rural development, Industry and employment, Urban development, environment, and public welfare…,” he said.
“Our five guarantees will help in the upliftment of families and every family will get relief of around Rs 3.5 lakh in a year,” he added.
The party has promised financial assistance of Rs 3,000 under the Mahalakshmi scheme and a caste census. It has also promised to remove the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations in line with Tamil Nadu.
The party would launch a free bus service for the women in the state and give Rs 4,000 monthly stipend to youths seeking jobs.
Kharge later slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for equating a “red book” of the Constitution with “urban Naxalism” and said the PM gave a similar copy in 2017 to then President Ram Nath Kovind.
Kharge also displayed a red book of the Constitution, saying it was not blank as was being projected by Modi and the BJP.
”It is necessary to enroll him in a primary school again,” Kharge said targeting the prime minister.
They are giving provocative speeches and trying to mislead people by diverting their attention from the real issues. You should directly ask for votes. Why are you provoking people? Ask for votes on the basis of work (done). Some say that if we get divided, we will be killed (batenge to katenge),” Kharge said, adding that they are the killers of Mahatma Gandhi.
“Who killed Mahatma Gandhi? You are the killer and you are the one who cuts. Those who intend to keep the country united never say such things,” he asserted, asking “Which great man does BJP have who would sacrifice his life for the unity of the country?”
Kharge further said that the BJP was repeating their scheme and guarantees while criticising the Congress for providing the same by calling it “freebies.”
