Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Both the Congress and the BJP have released their manifestos for the Vidhan Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. Both have made hundreds of promises to the voters. Do the people go through the manifestos? Do they take the manifestos into consideration while deciding whom to vote for? If yes, which party’s manifesto do they find better and why? The Free Press asked these and other related questions to a cross-section of voters from the city.
Here is what they said:
Purushottam Lodhi, Advocate |
Good news for farmers
I think, the Congress’s manifesto is much better than the BJP’s this time. The Congress has promised a lot for the farmers, the poor and the students. Then, power will be supplied for farming work for at least 12 hours every day and the farmers won’t have to pay anything to run 5 HP pumps. The restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, universal old age pension and free education for students from Classes 1-12 are also welcome promises.
- Purushottam Lodhi, Advocate
Ashutosh Malviya, student |
Gig economy, entrepreneurship
As a youth and a student, I like the BJP’s manifesto. The reason is that it promises to promote big economy and entrepreneurship. It is clear that the government cannot provide jobs to everyone and so other avenues are needed. In BJP's manifesto they have promised free education for girls, they have also promised that new premier educational institutions like AIIMS and IITs will be opened in the state. That is also good. I will definitely compare the vision documents of both the parties before deciding whom to vote for.
-Ashutosh Malviya, student
Javed Khan, Radio Jockey |
Dharma vs. karma
The BJP’s manifesto is focused on issues of faith while the Congress’s manifesto is centred on practical issues. Faith cannot pay the school fees of your children. Faith cannot generate employment. So, to my mind, one party is talking of ‘dharma’ and the other of ‘karma’.Every educated voter should definitely go through the manifestoes of all the parties and the voters should ensure that the parties that fail to keep their promise are punished in the next elections.
-Javed Khan, Radio Jockey
Mita Wadhwa, social activist |
Track record more important
I never vote on the basis of manifesto. I vote on the basis of the reliability and the track record of a party. Manifestos can be eyewash. No one knows whether the party will deliver what it is promising. But what a party has actually done when in government is something that is a fact. Did the BJP promise in its manifesto that it will launch the Ladli Behna Yojana? But it is giving hundreds of crores of rupees from the taxpayer’s money to women? Why it is doing so?
- Mita Wadhwa, social activist
Both are same
I don’t find much difference between the manifestos of the Congress and the BJP. Both have promised freebies. As a taxpayer, I don’t want my money to be spent on freebies. But there is one difference between the two parties. The Congress doesn’t keep its promises, the BJP does. The Congress is not as reliable as the BJP is. I would like a new party’s government every five years. Why should a person rule for 20 years in a democracy? I also want that we should get more options, besides the BJP and the Congress.
-Sanskriti Singh, entrepreneur
