Kerala elections 2021: Draft manifesto of UDF out

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 14: Aiming to woo voters in poll-bound Kerala, the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday released its draft election manifesto highlighting that its Nyay Yojna, proposed by Rahul Gandhi, to help poor families, will be implementedin the state.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the final manifesto will be prepared after consulting people and the Front will approach the election with a "democratic" manifesto. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had proposed the Nyay Yojna, a minimum income guarantee scheme, to help the poor families in the country if voted to power.

"If we are elected to power, we will implement the Nyay Yojna and Kerala will become the first state in the country to implement the same. Each deserving family will receive Rs 6,000 each. This scheme will help eradicate poverty from the state," Chennithala told the media.

He said the final election manifesto will be prepared after consulting various seniorleaders, including Thiruvananthapuram MP, Shashi Tharoor.

UDF''s performance in the just concluded local body polls was lacklustre,while the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF had registered impressive wins.

Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran on Wednesday said his party, if voted to power, will continue with the Life Mission project of the current government.

Earlier, last month, UDF convener M M Hassan, had said that the ambitious projects of the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) -- Life Mission, Adram Mission, Public Education Mission and Haritha Kerala Mission-- will be discontinued.

"We will continue with the Life Mission without any corruption," Ramachandran told reporters at Kasaragod.