Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha poll manifesto committee and said it has been announced at the “last moment”.
“The BJP has just announced a 27-member Manifesto Committee today, merely weeks before the Lok Sabha elections begin. The Indian National Congress released its Paanch Nyay, Pachees Guarantees on March 16th,” Ramesh tweeted.
“Its Ghar Ghar Guarantee campaign to distribute eight crore guarantee cards across the country will begin on April 3. The manifesto will be released on April 5th. The BJP’s manifesto, begun at this last moment, is merely an exercise in ticking boxes. It reflects the contempt with which the party sees the public,” the Congress leader charged.
Ramesh said the Congress party’s poll manifesto was prepared after carrying out nationwide consultations and considering suggestions received through email. “The INC manifesto was compiled after carrying out nationwide consultations and after receiving thousands of suggestions via email and our Awaaz Bharat Ki website. The Congress Manifesto reflects the voice of the people,” he said.
The Congress leader said BJP may try to unsettle Congress by sending Income Tax notices but Congress will not slow down. “The BJP may try to unsettle the Congress by sending Income Tax claim notices, but the Congress is neither afraid nor slowing down. We are prepared, we will overcome, and we will emerge victorious!” he said.
The BJP announced a Defence Minister Rajnath Singh-led 27-member committee on Saturday to prepare its poll manifesto. The former party president was the head of the BJP's manifesto committee for the 2019 polls as well. Many members have been repeated in the current panel as well. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Bhupender Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Munda, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Smriti Irani and Rajeev Chandrasekhar are among its members.
