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If alliance wins, making CMPof 2 manifestoes will be a task

With both the parties releasing their independent manifestoes, with different sets of promises, it would not be easy for the alliance government (if formed) to implement the same.

Published on: Feb 9, 2017, 15:32:52 IST
Hindustan Times | By
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Lucknow: The Congress and the Samajwadi Party will have to work out a common agenda to work together and implement the poll promises made by them if an alliance government is formed in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress leaders releasing the party manifesto in Lucknow on Wednesday (HT Photo)
Congress leaders releasing the party manifesto in Lucknow on Wednesday (HT Photo)

With both the parties releasing their independent manifestoes, with different sets of promises, it would not be easy for the alliance government (if formed) to implement the same.

Although both the parties initially agreed to formulate a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) to be declared before assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Raj Babbar said a common agenda will be worked out in a week after the formation of alliance government.

As of now, the respective manifestos are differing on many counts. While the SP promises construction of Samajwadi Poorvanchal Expressway and two new greenfield expressways to connect Bundelkhand with Terai region and Lucknow with Indo-Nepal border, the Congress manifesto promises two new highways, Ganga Highway and Yamuna Highway, to connect four corners of the state.

“In continuation with the work done by the Samajwadi Party government we will continue to develop new expressways starting with Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad to better connect all corners of UP,” read Congress’ manifesto released on Wednesday.

The Congress manifesto also promises commissioning of new power projects while the SP promises completion of ongoing ones.

The Congress manifesto makes a mention of promises of ‘Qarza maaf, bijli half’ for farmers. It expects the centre to fulfill the promise of loan waiver for farmers and promises to bring down their power bills to half. The SP government, however, have promised subsidy on power bills of private tube wells.

The Congress and SP manifestoes list different priorities on issues concerning law and order.

While the Congress promises new law to check hate crime and talks of police reforms, appointment of an ombudsman and criminal injuries compensation board, the SP manifesto speaks about providing facilities and promotions to policemen and implementation of UP 100 scheme in all the districts.

Both the parties have a common promise of setting up women police stations in every district though they may differ on number of police stations promised there.

The Congress manifesto speaks about abolition of entry tax and rationalization of other taxes, the SP manifesto instead promises ease of doing business and abolition of inspector raj in the state.

Efforts on to fight friendly fights

Congress general secretary (incharge UP) Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said efforts were being made to ensure that Congress and Samajwadi Party candidates did not fight an election against each other and a solution may be found in three to four days.

Azad was replying to questions from journalists at the UPCC headquarters here after releasing his party’s manifesto for the 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Replying to another question, Azad said the BJP had been raising controversial issues during elections. The BJP should not use religion for political purposes, he said. The Supreme Court should take note of certain promises made by the BJP in its poll manifesto, he said.

  • Umesh Raghuvanshi
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Umesh Raghuvanshi

    Umesh Raghuvanshi is an award-winning journalist with nearly four decades of demonstrated experience in the profession. He is the author of Ayodhya: The Gods Are Liberated. He is skilled in storytelling and newswriting, and writes on politics, governance, legislature, finance, environment, and social issues. He is based in Lucknow, is well-travelled, and has covered several national and international events, as well as all assembly and parliament elections in Uttar Pradesh since 1984. He has been a visiting scholar at the Graduate School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, USA, and a Metcalf Fellow at the Metcalf Institute of Marine and Environmental Reporting, University of Rhode Island, USA. He is a science graduate from DBS College, Dehradun, and holds an MA in Political Science from DAV (PG) College, Dehradun. He won the KC Kulish International Merit Award for excellence in journalism (2015) and received it in New Delhi in 2017. He also won a competition organised by the United Nations Environment Programme DTIE OzonAction Programme in 2009 that assessed coverage of the interlinkages between ozone and climate change. He was awarded in Beijing, China, in 2010. He started his career with a Dehradun-based English daily in the early 1980s and later worked with The Pioneer too.Read More