Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Decoding Congress, BJP manifestos

New Delhi, Apr 08: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Titled 'Sankalp Bharat Sashakt Bharat' the BJP manifesto is what the the party promises to implement if voted back to power. While the Congress manifesto, titled 'Hum Nibhayenge', begins with a plan to increase employment.

The manifesto, which gives a brief picture of a particular party's five-year vision, is one of the important factors that play a major role in the elections.

Here's a comparison of what both the parties have promised for the people in the coming five years.

Congress MP Ahmed Patel said, "The difference between BJP manifesto and Congress manifesto can be seen firstly from the cover page itself. Our manifesto the people of the nation, and BJP manifesto has the face of just one man. Instead of a manifesto BJP should have come out with a 'maafinama'."

"The cover of our manifesto says that the people of the country are important for us but for them their own face is more important. Our manifesto includes millions of people of the country, but the BJP manifesto only speaks about one man's 'Mann ki Baat'. Now country will declare its decision," tweeted Congress.

National security vs NYAY

The BJP has focused mostly on national security, relying on its recent achievements of anti-satellite missile systems and Balakot air strike. The Congress, on the other hand, has centered its poll campaign around its proposed NYAY scheme promising a minimum Rs 72,000 yearly income to India's 20 per cent poorest citizens.

Farmers

The Congress, in its manifesto, promised to introduce a separate Kisan budget, while the BJP vowed to double farmers income by 2020 and to provide pensions for small, marginal farmers.

On Kashmir, Article 370 and 35A

The Congress has promised that it won't allow any change in constitutional position on Article 370, will review AFSPA and reduce presence of armed forces in the Kashmir Valley if it wins the Lok Sabha polls.

Also Read | Empowering poor a must to defeat poverty: Modi on BJP's manifesto

An old promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) makes a comeback in its latest election manifesto- to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution.

"We reiterate our position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370," read the BJP's 'Sankalp Patra' for Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Terrorism

The Congress, in its manifesto, promised to set up the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) within three months of forming the government in the Centre, and making NATGRID operational by December 2019.

The saffron party has announced zero tolerance on terrorism and extremism, 'free hand' to security forces in combating terrorism and multilaterateral cooperation on terrorism.

GST

Regarding GST, the Congress Party, in its manifesto, said that it will review and replace the current GST laws with the GST 2.0 regime that will "truly reflect the intent and purpose of a non-cascading, value-added, indirect tax."

The BJP has promised simplification of GST and expansion of Credit Guarantee Scheme, wherein loans to MSME are guaranteed. "Under this alone, the credit of around Rs 19,000 crore was achieved in 2017-18. We would aim to take this figure to Rs1,00,000 crore by 2024," the manifesto says.