Congress releases manifesto in Haryana: Will presenting old wine in new bottle change its fortune?

Congress will be fighting the ensuing Assembly polls on 'development plank'. The grand-old party on Wednesday released its election manifesto for the October 15 polls promising to put the State on higher growth trajectory.

Congress seeking mandate in name of development

The 23-page manifesto has promised to carry out welfare projects in various fields apart from wooing farmers and other section.

The manifesto was released at Panchkula jointly by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress General Secretary and party state in-charge Shakeel Ahmed, party Secretary Asha Kumari, chairman of the Manifesto Committee Ram Prakash, state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar and former MP Naveen Jindal.

"Congress does not want to sit on its past laurels, but intends to continue the unprecedented path of development growth and prosperity of Haryana in its endeavour to serve effectively. Now, we want to put Haryana on higher growth trajectory", CM Hooda was quoted as saying in PTI.

What is there in manifesto?

It lays thrust on agriculture and horticulture, irrigation, energy, industry, trade, commerce, FDI, health, besides employment, women empowerment, Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes, urban and rural development and education with a promise to set up an university in every district.

The manifesto says efforts for a separate high court for Haryana in Chandigarh will continue, mining will be resumed after getting approval from the Environment Department, students union elections will be permitted in universities and colleges while a road map will be prepared for each of the 90 Assembly segments so that their needs are fully met.

Party on way to woo farmers
The Congress manifesto says that if it comes to power it will pay 100 per cent interest of the farmer who return the short-term loan regularly and 50 per cent interest of the farmer who return the long-term loan regularly. Also, the Congress promised to rationalised the land acquisition policy.

It says the party will continue with its efforts to secure Centre's approval to lower the interest rate on long-term loans of farmers to 4 per cent.

Tough road ahead for Congress

Ahead of the ensuing elections, it is not the anti-incumbency factor alone that is haunting the party, it is grappling with desertion of senior leaders too.

In the last few months, from around the time of the Lok Sabha elections, number of Congress leaders have quit the party, revolting against the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and accusing him of regional bias in the development of the State.