Haryana Assembly polls: How do Congress and BJP manifestos compare?

The competitive politics ahead of elections in Haryana has the political parties wooing the voters. If the Congress promised to give Rs 2,000 per month to women, the BJP offered a better deal, an addition of Rs 100. The BJP in its manifesto released on Thursday promised to give Rs 2,100 to women, continue the Rs 500 LPG cylinders and even promised a scooter to meritorious college girl students from the rural areas.

Both the parties promised to give two lakh government jobs. The BJP promised additional five lakh job creation opportunities and monthly stipend under the apprenticeship programme, announced in the union budget. The saffron party also guaranteed government jobs for all Agniveers from the state.

The Congress, which had released the set of guarantees a day earlier, had also promised to give Rs 6,000 pension to aged, widows and the handicapped, doubling it from the current Rs 3,000. The BJP also promised to increase the pensions based on scientific formula.

>>READ: Haryana elections: Decoding Congress’s seven poll guarantees

As agriculture is the mainstay of the state, the Congress had promised MSP law while the BJP promised to buy 24 crops on MSP. The BJP also promised to give five lakh affordable houses to the poor. The Congress promised 900 sq feet plot and two-room house in Rs 3.5 lakhs.

To woo the electorate, the BJP has promised to give Rs 10 health cover for the family, and additional Rs 5 lakh for those above 70 years of age. The Congress had promised to foot health bill up to Rs 25 lakh. The BJP offered free dialysis services in government hospitals and free diagnostics in private hospitals.

Social justice is key plank in the elections. If the Congress promised caste survey and keeping the creamy layer exemption till Rs 10 lakhs. The BJP promised to set up separate welfare boards with adequate budget for different castes in the state. The party said it will stand guarantee for additional Rs 25 lakh loan for OBC businessmen. The BJP promised to give full scholarship to OBC and SC local students studying for medical and engineering degrees in government institutions in other states. 

Both the parties have promised cash pensions but finding budgets for it will be an issue. Already states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh are finding it difficult to deal with the rising debt due to these promises. Haryana’s finances are already in the red. The state’s debt is above Rs 3 lakh crore.

Additionally, the BJP has promised to create better industrial and transport, sports infrastructure in the state. The party manifesto released by BJP chief J.P. Nadda in Rohtak listed setting up of 10 industrial towns on the lines IMT Kharkhoda where jobs for 50,000 local youths will be promised through the industrialists. Setting up of orbital railways and new Vande Bharat trains have also been promised.

If elected to power for the third term, the BJP promised to set up sports facilities in all districts for Olympic sports. If Nayab Singh Saini government is elected to power, it will set up a jungle safari park in the Aravalis.

Going by the promises made by the political parties, the voters do get swayed. The BJP facing anti-incumbency after 10 years in power hopes to retain power, while the Congress riding on the Jaat, farmers issues maintains it will return to power in the state. The results will have implications for the both the parties even at the national level.