Seeking to woo the country’s youth, the Congress has promised the “right to employment” as well as Rs.1 lakh a year apprenticeship for youths after graduation as part of its poll promise for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, besides mulling stringent punishment to those responsible for paper leaks in examinations. Addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi promised ‘five justices’ to youths, including filling government vacancies, permanent jobs, freedom from recruitment exam paper leaks, social security for gig workers and a startup fund for youths below 40 years of age. While Rahul Gandhi promised a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops to farmers and a ₹5,000 crore fund “Yuva Roshni” for startups. He said that the Congress promises to provide 30 lakh jobs to youths on priority basis if they come to power, calling it ‘Bharti Bharosa’. He assured of bringing out a yearly calendar, which would follow a certain time frame for filling up job vacancies. Congress manifesto is likely to feature a road map to revamp the Goods and services tax (GST) with simplified structures to benefit small business and may also promise amendment to cut federal agencies overarching powers. The party is promising a caste-based census in the country for filling up the government vacancies. The guarantee template, which has been used by the party in the recent Assembly elections, will be back with nyuntam aay yojana (nyay) or universal basic income guarantee. The party proposes to give ₹72,000 annually or ₹6,000 every month to 20 per cent of the poorest households if they come to power at the Centre. The women of these poorest households will be entitled to the scheme. The party could also promise one-third reservation for women in government jobs. It may also promise scrapping of the controversial military recruitment scheme ‘Agnipath’
JDU-BJP SEAT-SHARING TALKS DELAYED
The seat-sharing between BJP and JD(U) and other NDA partners, as well as the expected cabinet expansion in Bihar have been delayed. The JD(U), which presently holds 16 of the State’s 40 Lok Sabha seats, has demanded 17 seats, which it had fought in the 2019 polls. But with a greater number of claimants to the seat pie in the ruling NDA including Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD), Jiten Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), and two factions of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), one led by ChiragPaswan and the other by his uncle Pashupati Paras, the equation is complicated. According to sources, the BJP was not keen on leaving more than 12 to 14 seat to JD(U) and one each in Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and UP, and three each go to the two wings of the LJP led by Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras, and four to be divided equally between RLJD led by Upendra Kushwaha and HAM(S). Sources say that talks have been further delayed with the elections for the Bihar Legislative Council, for which Nitish Kumar filed his nomination on Tuesday for a fourth consecutive term. The voting will held on March 21. On the other hand, CM Nitish Kumar wishes the Bihar Assembly to be dissolved so that its election could be held along with the Lok Sabha polls but the BJP, which has much more strength than the JD(U) in the House, might be cold to the idea.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE DECIDES TO GO SOLO IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR
The National Conference (NC) has decided to contest all three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley on its own, even as there have been discussions with the Congress to decide on the three seats of Jammu and Ladakh regions. This will pit the NC and the Peoples Democratic Party, the Valley’s two major mainstream parties, against each other. This also places a major question mark over the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of political parties in the Valley that was formed in 2020 to fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. While the Congress would support NC candidates in Baramulla and Srinagar, it would most likely support Mehbooba Mufti if she decides to contest from Anantnag, a seat she has represented in the past, just like her father and PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
MAHARASHTRA: BJP TO CONTEST IN 30-32 SEATS, SHINDE-LED SHIV SENA IN 11-13
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis to discuss seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. As per the sources, the BJP is likely to contest 30-32 of the 48 seats in the state, with the Shinde Shiv Sena fighting 11-13 and the NCP (Ajit Pawar) 5 seats. During his Akola visit, Shah took a review of the poll preparations and communicated with state leaders regarding several Lok Sabha seats in Vidarbha, including Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Yavatmal-Washim, Chandrapur and Wardha.
MVA PARTIES REACH SEAT-SHARING DEAL IN MAHARASHTRA
The MVA leaders, consisting of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Uddhav Thackeray, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, and Congress’s Balasaheb Thorat, held discussions with the VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar for the first time to discuss the fate of their alliance in taking on the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the state. During the course of their meeting, Prakash Ambedkar also proposed to contest 12 Lok Sabha seats, which the other parties are unlikely to agree on. However, VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar demanded written commitments of no ties with the BJP either before of after the Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, the MVA partners have agreed on a seat-sharing deal with Shiv Sena contesting 21 seats, Congress 15, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP 9. (IPA Service)