Haryana Elections: Cong releases manifesto, special focus on women

Chandigarh, Oct 11: Haryana's main opposition Congress released its poll manifesto on Friday for the upcoming Haryana Assembly Elections 2019 and is focused on addressing the issued being faced by the state's farmers, poor, women and youngsters.

Describing it as 'Sankalp Patra', the party in its manifesto promised 33 per cent reservation to women in government jobs and private institutions in the state and free rides in Haryana roadways buses.

The party also promised 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institution, municipality corporations and city councils. Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja announced a loan waiver for farmers in the state if voted to power.

The party also promised to give an annual scholarship of Rs 12,000 to students from Class 1 to 10 and Rs 15,000 for students from class 11 to 12 who belong to Scheduled Caste community and extremely backward class, she said.

A party leader has said, "The Congress will release its manifesto for Haryana Vidhan Sabha polls on Friday.''

''Our focus will be on farmers, poor, youth, women, scheduled castes, backward classes, BPL families and other sections," party's senior leader from Haryana and convener of the Manifesto Committee, Aftab Ahmed has told PTI.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had been abroad for a few days, has returned home and will campaign for the party in poll-bound Haryana next week.

Gandhi is slated to address poll rallies for the October 21 assembly polls in the state. He will campaign for the party candidates in Haryana on October 14.

While the state will go to polls on October 21 for the 90-member Assembly, the counting will be held on October 24. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are also scheduled to be held on the same day.

(with PTI inputs)