Chhattisgarh polls: Congress slams BJP’s ‘copy-cat’ manifesto promising ‘freebies’

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for repeatedly calling out the Congress for its “revdi (freebie) culture”, the party has slammed the “copycat” BJP manifesto for the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, pointing out that the opponents were pledging guarantees to win elections as well.

The saffron party released its manifesto on Friday (November 3), pledging annual financial assistance to married women and landless agricultural labourers, paddy procurement at Rs 3,100 per quintal, and cooking gas cylinder at Rs 500 to poor families, among other things.

Speaking at a press conference at the AICC headquarters on Saturday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Yesterday, the BJP came out with its manifesto (in Chhattisgarh). Those who used to criticise ‘revdi’ and our guarantees, the PM…the manifesto that has been released by the BJP is a copy-cat manifesto.”

Ramesh went on: “The LPG cylinder, paddy procurement prices, these are all Congress poll promises. When Rahul Gandhi ji had used the word ‘guarantee’, then they (the BJP) had heavily criticised it, and now they are talking about ‘Modi ki guarantee’,” Ramesh said.

Defamation 'tactics'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the BJP manifesto titled “Modi’s Guarantee for Chhattisgarh 2023” during a function at Kushabhau Thakre Parisar, the party’s state office in Raipur.

Ramesh claimed that the BJP is “rattled” in Chhattisgarh, and its defeat was “certain”.

“It should also be noted that the BJP is targeting two OBC CMs — in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. In both states, they are issueless because the welfare schemes of the Congress have been successful and welcomed by the people,” he said.

“On that basis, we will get the people’s mandate. At the last moment, the PM and his associates are deploying the tactics of defaming Congress leaders to distract people but they will not be distracted,” Ramesh asserted. People know that the work done by the Congress in the past five years has to be carried forward, the former Union minister said.

Congress guarantees

“There are Congress guarantees; we will fulfil what Rahul ji and (party chief Mallikarjun) Kharge ji have said. The BJP is also now using the word ‘guarantee’ but they are not saying it is the BJP’s guarantee but Modi’s guarantee,” Ramesh pointed out.

“So, the PM was known for U-turns, but now he has become a copycat. He criticised ‘revdis’ (freebies)...what he used to call ‘revdi’, it has become his guarantee,” Ramesh said.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases — on November 7 and 17. The votes will be counted on December 3.

The ruling Congress is yet to release its manifesto for the elections, but has already announced 17 guarantees, including loan waiver for farmers.

(With agency inputs)